A case of a prepancreatic course of the superior mesenteric vein found at post-mortem is described and a possible hypothesis of its development is offered. The prepancreatic course of the superior mesenteric or portal vein is not frequent, but in abdominal surgery it is necessary to take these anomalies into the consideration because of possible severe sequelae in the case of an inadvertent ligature of important vessels.

        Key words: superior mesenteric vein – portal vein – vascular anomalies