Renal surgery on anatomical basis: II Study of the arterial system

ABSTRACT

A study of the renal arterial anatomy of the kidneys by plastic corrosion casts, macro-opaque radiological and thick white gelatine methods has been carried out on 70 kidneys obtained from post- mortem bodies from stillbirth till 65 years old. Both sexes are represented. Examination of these specimens showed that the renal artery is single in 79.9% of cases, double in 22.8% of cases, triple in 2.9% of cases and in 1.4% of cases there are four renal arteries. The mode of division of the renal artery is classified into 5 patterns. The branching patterns of the anterior division showed many different variations and that of the posterior division showed 3 different types. The relation of these various arteries to the renal parenchyma and different renal calyces is investigated and discussed. The accessory or aberrant renal arteries are normal 1ry or 2ry intrarenal branches with a precocious origin i.e. the multiplicity of the artery is due to an early proximal division of the main renal artery rather than a true multiplication of the arteries. The branches of the renal arteries, single or multiple, are essentially "End arteries" with no significant intercommunication in between. There is no constant arterial segmental pattern of the kidney i.e. there are great variations in the branching patterns of the renal vessels. So, there are some important clinical suggestions and facts to be considered before and during the renal operations e.g. kidney transplantation and nephrotomy