[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Anatomy](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/) › [Abdomen](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/region/abdomen/) › Right renal vein [Cardiovascular system](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/system/cardiovascular-system/) · [Abdomen](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/region/abdomen/) # Right renal vein The [right renal vein](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/right-renal-vein/) drains blood from the right kidney; it is very short and enters the inferior vena cava directly. [See in 3D →](https://durgical.app/?from=durgipedia&lang=en#region=abdomen&select=renal_vein_right&side=r) Opens in the Durgical app, no sign-up needed. ## What it is A short vein running straight from the right kidney into the inferior vena cava. ## What it does Drains the right kidney. (The right gonadal vein goes directly to the vena cava instead.) ## Key points - Very short and straight into the inferior vena cava, so the right [kidney](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/kidney/) is harder to transplant and is less often taken from living donors - A right renal tumour thrombus reaches the vena cava within a short distance ## Key facts **Drains** Right kidney (the right gonadal and suprarenal veins go straight to the IVC instead) **Into** IVC at about L1–L2; short, in front of the right renal artery ## Relations **Course** From the hilum it runs a short way medially and slightly up to enter the right side of the [inferior vena cava](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/inferior-vena-cava/) **In front** Second part of the [duodenum](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/duodenum/) and, nearer the vena cava, the head of the [pancreas](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/pancreas/) **Behind** [Right renal artery](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/renal-artery-abdomen/) ## How to find it Not palpable. At surgery it is found at the side of the inferior vena cava, short and in front of the right renal artery; in right nephrectomy it is controlled right at the cava, sometimes with a side clamp on the cava itself. ## On imaging Doppler ultrasound, CT or MRI show the vein and whether tumour or clot fills it; MRI and CT also show how far a tumour thrombus climbs in the inferior vena cava (below, behind or above the [liver](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/liver/), or into the [right atrium](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/right-atrium/)). ## Clinical notes - Tumour thrombus from renal cell carcinoma is graded by how high it reaches in the vena cava, which decides whether the liver or heart has to be approached - In right donor nephrectomy a cuff of vena cava may be taken to lengthen the short vein - Renal vein thrombosis is linked to nephrotic syndrome, classically membranous nephropathy ## Anatomical variants - Two or more right renal veins are more common than on the left ## Development The inferior vena cava is built from right-sided embryonic veins (subcardinal and cardinal systems) and ends up beside the right kidney, so the right renal vein stays short while the left one has to cross the aorta. ## Related conditions - [Renal vein thrombosis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/renal-vein-thrombosis/) ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## Why is the right kidney less often taken from living donors? The right renal vein is very short and runs straight into the inferior vena cava, making the transplant harder; a cuff of vena cava may be taken to lengthen it. ## Which right-sided veins drain straight into the inferior vena cava instead of the right renal vein? The right gonadal and right suprarenal veins. ## How is a renal cell carcinoma tumour thrombus in the vena cava graded? By how high it reaches in the inferior vena cava (below, behind or above the liver, or into the right atrium), which decides whether the liver or heart must be approached. ## Which condition is classically linked to renal vein thrombosis? Nephrotic syndrome, classically membranous nephropathy. [Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/anatomy/right-renal-vein-abdomen/) Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional. ## Its names **Official Latin (TA2)** vena renalis dextra; vena renalis sinistra TA2 5000 **Official Spanish (DeCS)** Venas renales DeCS D012082 **English (TA2)** Right renal vein **Also called** renal veins ## Related - [Inferior vena cava](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/inferior-vena-cava/) Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); [DeCS](https://decs.bvsalud.org/es/ths/resource/?id=12504&filter=ths_termall&q=Venas%20Renales); [Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Renal Veins](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538298/); Anatomy of the Human Body (20th ed.): Development of the Vascular System (Lea & Febiger (Gray's Anatomy, 1918), 1918) · adapted, Public domain; [20.5 Circulatory Pathways](https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/20-5-circulatory-pathways) (OpenStax (Rice University), 2022) · adapted, [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/right-renal-vein-abdomen/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/right-renal-vein-abdomen/