Study Of Arrangement Of Renal Hilar Structures In Human Cadavers

ABSTRACT

Background: Renal hilum is the middle concavity of the medial border of kidney which communicates with renalsinus. The disposition of renal hilar structures has been described in anatomical textbook from anterior toposterior as the renal vein, renal artery and renal pelvis. Variations in arrangement of renal hilar structureswere detected incidentally while performing investigative imaging and angiographic procedures. Anatomicalknowledge of structures at the renal hilum is of great importance for various urological surgical procedures andalso during interpretation of various radiological techniques related to the kidney.Objective: To evaluate the arrangement of renal hilar structures in human cadaversMaterials and Methods: Present work was carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Sri Devaraj Urs medicalcollege, Kolar on fifty pairs of morphological normal kidneys of embalmed cadavers. Renal hilum of each kidneywas dissected carefully to see the arrangement of renal artery, vein and pelvis and their anteroposterior relationsat the hilum were recorded.Results: The arrangement of renal hilar structures exhibited great variations. The patterns of arrangement of thehilar structures were classified into 12 major patterns. In 32 % kidney we observed the classical arrangement ofhilar structures described in standard textbooks as renal vein, renal artery and pelvis. In 36% cases anteriortrunk of renal artery is the most anteriorly placed structure at the renal hilum. In 21% cases we observed anteriorand posterior tributaries of renal vein. The renal pelvis in between the divisions of renal artery and tributariesof renal vein was noted in 43% cases. We noticed the formation of the renal pelvis outside the hilum in 7% cases.Conclusion: Present study will help to provide better knowledge of disposition of renal hilar structures which willbe useful for the urological surgeons, radiologists and anatomists.