DETECTION OF ACCESSORY RENALARTERIES IN NORTH INDIAN POPULATION: A CT STUDY

Presence of supernumerary renal artery (accessory renal artery) is the most common anatomical variation of renal arterial systemand is seen with varying frequencies among different ethnic and racial groups. Prior knowledge of these variations is of great surgical importance as it influences the selection of donor kidney, partial nephrectomy and other urological procedures. Aim of the present study was to observe the prevalence of accessory renal artery (ARA) and their distribution pattern with relation to gender and side in adultNorth Indian population. One hundred normal healthy adult (16 males and 84 females; mean age of 43.5±10.42 years) who were prospective voluntary kidney donors underwent MDCTand CTangiography evaluation for the presence of accessory renal artery. Accessory renal artery (ARA) was present in 25.0% kidneys. The prevalence of accessory renal arteries in males and females was similar (25.0%) respectively. On the right side the prevalence of accessory renal artery was 26.0% and on left side it was 24.0%. In males 25% kidneys had unilateral single accessory renal artery. In females 14.3% of left kidneys and 16.7% of right kidneys had a single unilateral accessory renal artery. In 9.5% femalesubjects bilateral accessory renal arteries were present in the kidneys. The prevalence of accessory renal artery in our North Indian population was 25.0%, which is similar to studies from other Asian countries. The distribution pattern was not affected by gender and side. These findings need further validation in a larger cohort of subjects.