renal/urinary system W2 Flashcards
which vertebral level do the kidneys sit at?
T12-L3 (left slightly higher)
3 common sites of narrowing in the ureters? why are these clinically relevant?
ureter and renal pelvis junction
crossing common iliac at pelvic brim
passing through wall of bladder
where kidney stones may get stuck
features of the bladder?
ureter
ureteric opening
trigone
urethra
external urethral orifice
right kidney relationships with other structures?
suprarenal gland
liver
small intestine
large intestine
left kidney relationships with other structures?
suprarenal gland
stomach
spleen
pancreas
small intestine
large intestine
which 3 muscles are in contact with the posterior surface of each kidney?
transversus abdominus
quadratus luborum
psoas major
external anatomical features of the kidney?
superior/inferior pole
posterior/anterior surface
lateral margin
suprarenal gland
ureter
hilum (where vessels enter/leave)
internal anatomical features of the kidney?
renal pelvis
renal cortex
renal medulla
major/minor calyx (calyces)
renal columns (between pyramids)
renal papilla (between pyramid and minor calyx)
renal pyramids
blood supply to kidneys?
left renal vein - long, anterior to abdominal aorta
right renal vein - short, direct
right renal artery - long, posterior to IVC
left renal artery - short, direct
what happens to the renal artery once it enters the kidney?
splits at hilum (normally to anterior and posterior branches)
forms 5 segmental arteries
these form interlobar, arcuate and interlobular arteries
general histological appearance of the renal cortex vs medulla?
cortex - darker
medulla - lighter
4 layers of the ureter?
epithelial layer (transitional)
lamina propria
muscularis externa
adventitia
4 layers of the bladder?
epithelial layer (transitional)
lamina propria
muscular wall (3 layers - inner, longitudinal, immediate circular and outer longitudinal)
adventitia
what is the muscular bladder wall called? what is it controlled by?
detrusor muscle (smooth muscle, unusual for it to be named)
controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system
how does a horseshoe kidney occur?
formed when developing kidneys fuse together at inferior poles. normally would ascend but in horseshoe they are trapped by the inferior mesenteric artery and found lower down in the abdominal cavity.
