Vol 70, No 1 (2011)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-06-27
Published online: 2011-03-03
Variant origin of superior polar artery and unusual hilar branching pattern of renal artery with clinical correlation
V. Budhiraja, R. Rastogi, A.K. Asthana
Folia Morphol 2011;70(1):24-28.
Vol 70, No 1 (2011)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-06-27
Published online: 2011-03-03
Abstract
Classically, a single renal artery arising from the abdominal aorta supplies the
respective kidney on each side. Near the hilum of the kidney each renal artery
divides into anterior and posterior branchs, which in turn divide into segmental
arteries supplying the different renal segments. A total of 84 formalin fixed
cadavers (73 male and 11 female, 168 kidneys in total) constituted the material
for the study. During routine abdominal dissection conducted for medical undergraduates,
the kidneys and their arteries were explored and variations in
morphological patterns of renal arteries were noted. We observed superior
polar renal artery in 22.6% cases. Superior polar renal arteries had different
sources of origin. In 10.7% of cases it came directly from the abdominal aorta
as an accessory renal artery; in 5.4% of cases as a direct branch from the main
renal artery; in 3.6% of cases from the superior hilar renal artery (from one of
the duplicated renal arteries); and in 3.0% of cases from a segmental branch of
the renal artery. We also observed unusual hilar branching patterns of renal
arteries, which included a fork pattern in 11.3% of cases, ladder pattern in
7.7% of cases, net pattern in 5.9% of cases, and triplicate in 3.0% of cases.
Understanding the anatomy of vascular variations of the kidney is essential for
the clinician to be able to perform procedures such as renal transplantation,
interventional radiological procedures, and renal vascular operations more safely
and efficiently. (Folia Morphol 2011; 70, 1: 24-28)
Abstract
Classically, a single renal artery arising from the abdominal aorta supplies the
respective kidney on each side. Near the hilum of the kidney each renal artery
divides into anterior and posterior branchs, which in turn divide into segmental
arteries supplying the different renal segments. A total of 84 formalin fixed
cadavers (73 male and 11 female, 168 kidneys in total) constituted the material
for the study. During routine abdominal dissection conducted for medical undergraduates,
the kidneys and their arteries were explored and variations in
morphological patterns of renal arteries were noted. We observed superior
polar renal artery in 22.6% cases. Superior polar renal arteries had different
sources of origin. In 10.7% of cases it came directly from the abdominal aorta
as an accessory renal artery; in 5.4% of cases as a direct branch from the main
renal artery; in 3.6% of cases from the superior hilar renal artery (from one of
the duplicated renal arteries); and in 3.0% of cases from a segmental branch of
the renal artery. We also observed unusual hilar branching patterns of renal
arteries, which included a fork pattern in 11.3% of cases, ladder pattern in
7.7% of cases, net pattern in 5.9% of cases, and triplicate in 3.0% of cases.
Understanding the anatomy of vascular variations of the kidney is essential for
the clinician to be able to perform procedures such as renal transplantation,
interventional radiological procedures, and renal vascular operations more safely
and efficiently. (Folia Morphol 2011; 70, 1: 24-28)
Keywords
kidney; anatomical variations; superior polar artery
Title
Variant origin of superior polar artery and unusual hilar branching pattern of renal artery with clinical correlation
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 70, No 1 (2011)
Article type
Original article
Pages
24-28
Published online
2011-03-03
Page views
663
Article views/downloads
1826
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2011;70(1):24-28.
Keywords
kidney
anatomical variations
superior polar artery
Authors
V. Budhiraja
R. Rastogi
A.K. Asthana
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