Kidney anatomy

Overview Kidney anatomy. What are the kidneys? The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter your blood. Your kidneys are part of your Your kidneys filter about 200 quarts of fluid every day — enough to fill a large bathtub. During this process, your kidneys remove waste, which leaves your body as urine (pee). Most people pee about two quarts daily. Your body re-uses the other 198 quarts of fluid. Your kidneys also help balance your body’s fluids (mostly water) and electrolytes. Electrolytes are essential minerals that include sodium and potassium. Who is at the greatest risk of kidney problems? People with Function What do the kidneys do? Your kidneys have many important functions. They clean toxins and waste out of your blood. Common waste products include nitrogen waste (urea), muscle waste (creatinine) and acids. They help your body remove these substances. Your kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute. In the process: • Blood flows into your kidneys through a large blood vessel called the renal artery. • Tiny blood vessels in your kidney filter the blood. • The filtered blood returns to your bloodstream through a large blood vessel called the renal vein. • Pee travels through tubes of muscle called ureters ( yer-it-ter) to your bladder. • Your bladder stores pee until you release it through urination (peeing). The kidneys also: • Control the acid-base balance (pH balance) of your blood. • Make sugar (glucose) if your blood doesn’t have enough sugar. ...

Renal System Anatomy This image shows the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. The bean-shaped kidneys are about the size of a closed fist. They lie against the back of the abdominal wall, outside the peritoneal cavity (which contains all of the bowels), just above the waistline in the lumbar (low back) region. The adrenal glands (part of the endocrine system) sit on top of the kidneys and release a hormone called renin which helps to regulate blood pressure, and sodium (or salt) and water retention. The right kidney often sits slightly lower than the left one because of the position of the liver. The kidneys are about 4 1/2 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. The kidneys are highly vascular (contain a lot of blood vessels) and are divided into three main regions: the renal cortex (outer region which contains about 1.25 million renal tubules), renal medulla (middle region which acts as a collecting chamber), and renal pelvis (inner region which receives urine through the major calyces). The kidneys are protected in front by the contents of the abdomen and behind by the muscles attached to the spine. They are further protected by a layer of fat. The Renal System • Kidneys – Our body’s filtration system that collects waste products • Ureters – Muscular tubes that transport urine from each kidney to the bladder. • Urinary Bladder – A sac that collects and holds urine that comes from the ureters. • Urethra – a narrow passageway where urine passes from the bladder to the outside of th...

• 1 Anatomical Position • 2 Kidney Structure • 3 Anatomical Relations • 4 Arterial Supply • 4.1 Clinical Relevance: Variation in Arterial Supply to the Kidney • 5 Venous Drainage • 6 Lymphatics • 7 Clinical Relevance: Congenital Abnormalities of the Kidneys • 7.1 Pelvic Kidney • 7.2 Horseshoe Kidney • 8 Clinical Relevance – Renal Cell Carcinoma The kidneys are bilateral bean-shaped organs, reddish-brown in colour and located in the posterior abdomen. Their main function is to filter and excrete waste products from the blood. They are also responsible for water and electrolyte balance in the body. Metabolic waste and excess electrolytes are excreted by the kidneys to form urine. Urine is transported from the kidneys to the In this article we shall look at the anatomy of the kidneys – their anatomical position, internal structure and vasculature. Anatomical Position The kidneys lie retroperitoneally (behind the peritoneum) in the abdomen, either side of the vertebral column. They typically extend from T12 to L3, although the right kidney is often situated slightly lower due to the presence of the liver. Each kidney is approximately three vertebrae in length. The renal fascia. Kidney Structure The kidneys are encased in complex layers of fascia and fat. They are arranged as follows (deep to superficial): • Renal capsule – tough fibrous capsule. • Perirenal fat – collection of extraperitoneal fat. • Renal fascia (also known as Gerota’s fascia or perirenal fascia) – encloses th...

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