Occasionally, during a nephrectomy, the adrenal glands may be spared. In order to accomplish this, the vascular supply to the glands must be preserved. The left adrenal vein can be identified by observing that it drains directly into which of the following veins?

The left adrenal vein and the left gonadal vein (either testicular or ovarian) drain into the left renal vein. The left renal vein then drains into the inferior vena cava. In contrast, the right adrenal vein and right gonadal vein drain directly into the inferior vena cava. The hemiazygos vein receives the venous drainage from the body wall on the left side of the thorax and abdomen. No visceral organs drain directly to the azygos or hemiazygos veins. The inferior vena cava receives the direct venous drainage from the right adrenal vein, but not the left adrenal vein. Remember, the inferior vena cava is on the right side of the abdomen. The splenic vein receives the venous drainage from the spleen and pa of the pancreas and stomach. The splenic vein is pa of the poal venous system.