An Uncommon Anatomical Variation: Passage of the Ovarian Artery Through a Fenestrated Ovarian Vein in an Elderly Female Cadaver

TL;DR

This case report describes a rare anatomical variation where the ovarian artery passes through a fenestrated ovarian vein in an elderly female cadaver.

Contribution

The unprecedented traversal of a fenestrated ovarian vein by the ovarian artery is reported for the first time.

Findings

The left ovarian artery passed through a fenestrated segment of the left ovarian vein in a 93-year-old female cadaver.

This anatomical variation could complicate diagnosis and procedural outcomes in pelvic congestion syndrome and gynecologic surgery.

Abstract

Ovarian vein fenestration is an extremely rare vascular anomaly characterized by the temporary splitting and rejoining of the ovarian vein. Unlike duplication, fenestration involves a single vein dividing into multiple channels before converging again; it is often discovered incidentally during imaging or surgical procedures. This case report highlights a rare anatomical variant involving the ovarian artery and vein observed in an elderly female cadaver. During the routine dissection of a 93-year-old female's abdominopelvic region, we observed that the left ovarian artery passed through a fenestrated segment of the left ovarian vein. Although there have been few reports of fenestrations in the left ovarian vein, the traversing of such a fenestration by the ovarian artery remains unprecedented. This anatomical peculiarity has significant clinical implications, particularly in pelvic congestion syndrome, interventional radiology, and gynecologic surgery, due to its potential to complicate diagnosis and procedural outcomes.

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