Pyeloplasty for a Child With a Retrocaval Ureter: A Case Report

Retrocaval ureter, also known as a circumcaval ureter or pre-ureteral vena cava, is a rare entity in which the patient’s ureter passes backward to the inferior vena cava (IVC). The IVC compresses the upper portion of the ureter resulting in varying degrees of hydroureteronephrosis. We report a case of a child with retrocaval ureter malformation that was incidentally diagnosed while investigating for intermittent right renal colic, which was successfully treated by subcostal pyeloplasty. This case highlights the importance of radiographic imaging to diagnose retrocaval ureter, with computed tomography as a definitive method, but other modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and pyelography, are also helpful.