CONFLUENCE OF THE RIGHT ADRENAL VEIN WITH THE ACCESSORY RIGHT HEPATICVEINS - A POTENTIAL HAZARD IN LAPAROSCOPIC RIGHT ADRENALECTOMY

Confluent drainage of the right adrenal vein and large accessory right hepatic veins was encountered during a laparoscopic right adrenalecto my. In a review of previous reports of laparoscopic adrenalectomies we found no mention of this finding. However, an anatomic study reported that the right adrenal vein joins with an accessory right hepatic vei n in as many as 22% of individuals. A complete understanding of the an atomic variations in the drainage of the right adrenal vein is require d for the safe performance of laparoscopic right adrenalectomy.