A Study of Gonadal Arteries in 30 Adult Human Cadavers

The gonadal arteries normally arise from the abdominal aorta. There are reports about the variant origin of these arteries. In the present study, we investigated the origin and course of the gonadal arteries and clinical implications of variant gonadal arteries are discussed. Out of 60 dissections, in 55 cases the gonadal artery was seen arising from abdominal aorta. In the remaining 5 cases, gonadal artery of renal origin was present in 3 cases, two on right and one on left side and of middle suprarenal origin was present in 2 cases on the left side. The present study agreed with the text book account i.e. right testicular artery passing anterior to inferior vena cava in majority of the cases i.e. 27 (90%). In the remaining 3 cases (10%), the right testicular artery was posterior to inferior vena cava. In our study, out of a total of 60 dissections, 57 dissections confirmed to type I pattern (95%). In 2 cases (3.3%) (11 M, 16 M) a type II pattern was seen on the right side. In 1 case (1.7%) (20 M), the left testicular artery arose directly from the aorta and arched over the renal vein giving a type III pattern. Awareness of variations of the testicular arteries such as those presented here becomes important during surgical procedures like varicocele and undescended testes.The variations described here are unique and provide significant information to surgeons dissecting the abdominal cavity.