Clinically Relevant Anatomy of the Urinary Tract Flashcards
What comprises the upper urinary tract?
Kidneys and ureters
What comprises the lower urinary tract?
Bladder and urethra
Which parts of the urinary tract are retroperitoneal?
Kidneys and proximal ureters
Which aspects of the urinary tract are pelvic in location?
Distal ureters
Bladder
Proximal urethra
Which aspect of the urinary tract is found in the perineum?
Distal urethra
Where do the renal arteries arise?
Aorta
The renal veins sit ________ to the renal arteries
The renal veins sit anterior to the renal arteries
Which type of fat directly surrounds the kidneys?
Perinephric fat
Where do the renal veins drain?
IVC
At which vertebral levels do the right and left kidneys sit respectively?
Right: L1-L3
Left: T12-L2
(due to the size of the liver ont he right side)
Which space can be found anterior to the right kidney?
Hepatorenal recess
When the aorta divides the common iliac arteries are _______ to the common iliac veins
When the aorta divides the common iliac arteries are anterior to the common iliac veins
What is the arterial supply of the ureters?
Many arterial branches contribute along its length
- The renal artery
- The abdominal aorta
- The common iliac artery
- The internal iliac artery
- The vesical (bladder) artery
What is the lymphatic drainage of the kidneys?
Lumbar nodes
What is the lymphatic drainage of the ureters?
Lumbar and iliac nodes
What are the two classifications of AAA depending on their association with the kidneys?
Infrarenal (below renal arteries)
Suprarenal (involves renal arteries)
What is a bifid renal pelvis?
A congenital renal tract abnormality characterised as a duplication of the renal pelvis that unite to form the ureter
What is a horseshoe kidney?
Congenital abnormality involving failure of the kidneys to properly divide into two separate organs
What are the three most common reasons for only one kidney to be present?
- Agenesis
- Surgical removal
- Donation
Anterior to the IVC sits which structure related to the kidney?
Ureter
A kidney is comprised of which two main parts?
Cortex and medulla
Why does the medullary tissue within the kidney appear striated?
Due to the regularity of the nephrons which make it up
Where do the collecting ducts of the nephrons drain?
Minor calyx
Where do the minor calyces drain?
Major calyces which drain into the renal pelvis
What are the three main sites of ureteric constriction?
- Pelviureteric junction
- Ureter crossing anterior aspect of the common iliac artery (often crosses the bifurcation)
- Ureteric orifice (opening into one corner of the trigone on the floor of the bladder)
In which two ways can an obstruction occur in the urinary tract?
Internally (renal calculi)
Externally (tumour)
How does the urinary system respond to obstruction?
Peristaltic contractions increase
(causes colicky pain)
Obstructions to the urinary tract can lead to back pressure which may cause what?
Hydronephrosis
(can cause renal failure)
This occurs when back pressure exceeds glomerular pressure
How can renal failure be defined?
A failure to adequately filter the blood to produce urine
