Location
Moultrie, GA
Start Date
7-5-2025 1:00 PM
End Date
7-5-2025 4:00 PM
Description
Introduction: The renal artery is a crucial blood vessel responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the kidney. In typical anatomy, the renal artery branches off the abdominal aorta at the L1-L2 vertebral level, branching into the left and right renal arteries. This artery is especially crucial as the kidneys receive roughly 25% of cardiac output through the renal artery to filter waste from the blood and maintain homeostasis. Proper blood flow to the kidneys through the renal artery is also essential in monitoring blood pressure through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
Methods: This study involved a cadaveric dissection using standard anatomical techniques, with careful isolation of systemic organs and vascular structures. High-resolution photographic imaging documented renal vascular variations, with images analyzed for arterial branching patterns, and anatomical relationships to adjacent structures. The length of the arteries was measured using an onsite standard calibrated ruler, ensuring accurate dimension assessment. A comprehensive literature review of medical databases was conducted to compare observed findings with documented anatomical variations.
Results: A secondary renal artery was identified, originating from the abdominal aorta below the L1-L2 region. Both renal arteries directly supply the left kidney. The variation branched inferior to the primary renal artery and exhibited an atypical lateral division. It measured approximately 6.5 cm in length, whereas the primary renal artery measured 6.0 cm. Following the removal of the fibrous capsule, the left kidney’s cortex displayed an irregular surface texture, suggesting potential pathological associations such as hypertension or altered perfusion, though further investigation is required. Photographic documentation highlights this vascular variation and its anatomical relationship to the primary renal artery. Upon isolating both kidneys, the inferior renal polar artery was found to be unilateral, present only on the left side of this cadaver.
Discussion: The presence of a secondary left renal artery in this cadaver shows the surgical and clinical significance of renal vascular anomalies. While a single renal artery arising from the aorta at the level of L1-L2 is typical, secondary renal arteries may interfere with surgical and radiological procedures if undiagnosed. Additionally, the granular appearance of the renal cortex may suggest the effects that vascular anomalies may contribute to hypertension via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and arterial stenosis. Further research is necessary to explore the frequency of these vascular variations and their physiological consequences, particularly in relation to hypertension. Understanding these anomalies could improve preoperative imaging protocols, enhance surgical outcomes, and inform clinical management strategies for patients with renal vascular disorders.
Conclusion: This case report describes an atypical variation of the left renal artery, with potential implications for future surgical management, diagnostic imaging, and clinical interventions. The observed anomaly highlights the importance of recognizing vascular variations for better understanding factors that affect normal blood flow rates within systemic organs and can compare it in individuals without these variations present. Further studies are needed to explore the prevalence and clinical significance of such variations in diverse populations.
Embargo Period
6-3-2025
Included in
Cadaveric Case Study of Renal Artery Variation
Moultrie, GA
Introduction: The renal artery is a crucial blood vessel responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the kidney. In typical anatomy, the renal artery branches off the abdominal aorta at the L1-L2 vertebral level, branching into the left and right renal arteries. This artery is especially crucial as the kidneys receive roughly 25% of cardiac output through the renal artery to filter waste from the blood and maintain homeostasis. Proper blood flow to the kidneys through the renal artery is also essential in monitoring blood pressure through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
Methods: This study involved a cadaveric dissection using standard anatomical techniques, with careful isolation of systemic organs and vascular structures. High-resolution photographic imaging documented renal vascular variations, with images analyzed for arterial branching patterns, and anatomical relationships to adjacent structures. The length of the arteries was measured using an onsite standard calibrated ruler, ensuring accurate dimension assessment. A comprehensive literature review of medical databases was conducted to compare observed findings with documented anatomical variations.
Results: A secondary renal artery was identified, originating from the abdominal aorta below the L1-L2 region. Both renal arteries directly supply the left kidney. The variation branched inferior to the primary renal artery and exhibited an atypical lateral division. It measured approximately 6.5 cm in length, whereas the primary renal artery measured 6.0 cm. Following the removal of the fibrous capsule, the left kidney’s cortex displayed an irregular surface texture, suggesting potential pathological associations such as hypertension or altered perfusion, though further investigation is required. Photographic documentation highlights this vascular variation and its anatomical relationship to the primary renal artery. Upon isolating both kidneys, the inferior renal polar artery was found to be unilateral, present only on the left side of this cadaver.
Discussion: The presence of a secondary left renal artery in this cadaver shows the surgical and clinical significance of renal vascular anomalies. While a single renal artery arising from the aorta at the level of L1-L2 is typical, secondary renal arteries may interfere with surgical and radiological procedures if undiagnosed. Additionally, the granular appearance of the renal cortex may suggest the effects that vascular anomalies may contribute to hypertension via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and arterial stenosis. Further research is necessary to explore the frequency of these vascular variations and their physiological consequences, particularly in relation to hypertension. Understanding these anomalies could improve preoperative imaging protocols, enhance surgical outcomes, and inform clinical management strategies for patients with renal vascular disorders.
Conclusion: This case report describes an atypical variation of the left renal artery, with potential implications for future surgical management, diagnostic imaging, and clinical interventions. The observed anomaly highlights the importance of recognizing vascular variations for better understanding factors that affect normal blood flow rates within systemic organs and can compare it in individuals without these variations present. Further studies are needed to explore the prevalence and clinical significance of such variations in diverse populations.
Comments
Presented by Daniel Chanelo.