A Retrocaval Ureter (Circumcaval Ureter) is a developmental anamoly of inferior vena cava (IVC). Unfortunately both term suggest that ureter is at fault whereas in reality it is the IVC. There are two types of retrocavalureter.ie. The high loop and low loop. This abnormality occurs as a result of the right supracardinal system failing to develop normally. The right posterior Cardinal vein persists and therefore ends up passing in front of ureter. With one exception, the anamoly always occurs on right side as this is the site of normal IVC. Many patients are asymptomatic but depending on the degree of compression, patients may develop partial ureteral obstruction or recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) due to urinary stasis. Though congenital anamoly, patients do not present until 3rd to 4th decade of life resulting from hydronephrosis (HDN). Surgical correction of the ureteric anamoly anterior to IVC can be performed in these cases. This case describes a case of retrocaval ureter in a 27year old female with recurrent UTI and flank pain in which open surgical ureteroureteric anastomosis (uretero-ureterostomy) was done with excision of retrocaval part of ureter.
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Pankaj et al. (2015) studied this question.
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