The nutcracker syndrome (NCS) results most commonly from the compression of the left renal vein (LRV) between the abdominal aorta (AA) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA), although other variants exist. The name derives from the fact that, in the sagittal plane and/or transverse plane, the SMA and AA (with some imagination) appear to be a nutcracker crushing a nut (the renal vein). Furthermore, the venous return from the left gonadal vein returning to the left renal vein is blocked, thus causing testicular pain (colloquially referred to as "nut pain").