Genitourinary Flashcards
What veins do the right and left gonadal veins drain into?
Right: directly into IVC
Left: left renal vein
What are the narrowest parts of the ureter?
- where the ureter leaves the renal pelvis
- where the ureter enters the bladder
- pelvic brim
Describe the relationship between the ureter and the bony landmarks of the abdomen?
- The pelvis of the left kidney is about the level of Lumbar 2-3 disc and the right pelvis Lumbar body 3.
- The ureter commences at the lower part of the pelvis and runs down the tips of the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae.
- It runs just medial to the sacroiliac joint but usually directly over it inferiorly
- It runs across the tip of the spinous process of the pelvis and medially into the bladder
Where would you look for an undescended testes? Is it worth surgically correcting this anomaly?
- Anywhere along its normal (embryological) path on the posterior abdominal wall.
- Spermatogenesis does not occur correctly at body temperature so the testis migrates into the scrotum where the temperature is lower.
- In undescended testis correction is essential to ensure future fertility.
Where would you try to palpate lymph nodes to assess the spread of testicular cancer?
- The lymph drainage of any organ follows the arteries (but flow in the opposite direction).
- Cancer of the testis will spread to lymph nodes around the aorta where the testicular arteries arise.
What is variocele?
High pressure of venous blood in the pampiniform plexus of veins
in the scrotum cause the veins to enlarge
What does the femoral nerve supply? Where would you look for the femoral nerve?
- Femoral nerve supplies hip flexors and knee extensors
- Femoral nerve leaves L2-L4 and passes under the inguinal canal.
- It is located near the groin
How does the obtruator nerve pass from the abdomen into the thigh?
Through the obturator foramina
How do the sciatic and femoral nerves pass from the abdomen into the thigh?
- Femoral: under inguinal ligament
- Sciatic: through the greater sciatic foramen
Renal tumours can become very enlarged before they invade adjacent structures. What anatomical features explain this?
Kidneys have a thick and resilient capsule, surrounded by perinephric fat which itself is surrounded by perinephric fascia
Describe 2 common variations in the anatomy of the renal pelvis and ureter
Sometimes the ureters join together to form 1 single ureter entering the bladder but sometimes then enter separately. If there are 2 ureters there may be 2 separate kidneys on that side. If there are two complete ureters on one side the upper kidney drains normally at the trigone but the lower kidney drains abnormally higher up the bladder and does not have the valve mechanism so is prone to urine passing back up to the kidney when the bladder contracts.
What is a polar artery and why do they exist?
When the kidneys develop, they have segmental pattern with a separate artery to each part. Usually these 2 arteries join to form a single artery however, about 1/4 of people have 2 renal arteries to one kidney, usually a large renal artery and a smaller one to the inferior pole of the kidney; a polar artery. A polar artery can compress the ureter and stop urine flow.
Where would you palpate an abdominal aneurysm?
The abdominal aorta finishes just above the umbilicus so can only be felt in the upper abdomen
Why is the ureter in danger of damage during a hysterectomy?
The ureter runs immediately under the uterine artery. This artery will need to be ligated and divided to complete the hysterectomy.
What stops urine passing from the bladder back up the ureter?
- The ureter enters the bladder at unique oblique angle.
- As pressure in the bladder rises this presses on the part of the ureter which is in the bladder wall and stops urine passing back up to the kidney
A 25 year old woman involved in a car crash suffered complete transection of her spinal cord at the level of T6. Is she able to tell when her bladder is full? Does her bladder empty via muscle contraction or does it simply “overflow”? Will her bladder completely empty?
- No, the signals will not reach the brain
- The bladder will empty by muscular contraction controlled so will completely empty
Coverings of the kidneys
- Renal capsule - tough fibrous capsule
- Perirenal fat
- Renal fascia (Gerota’s fascia) encloses the kidneys and suprarenal glands
- Pararenal fat - on posterolateral aspect of the kidney
What vertebrae do the kidneys span?
T12-L3
Which kidney sits lower in the abdomen and why?
Right due to the presence of the liver
The kidneys are retroperitoneal, what does this mean?
They lay behind the peritoneum and are in contact with the posterior abdominal wall
What gland rests ontop of each kidney?
adrenal gland
What is the pouch of Morison? Why is it important?
Potential space between kidney and liver
In conditions like ascites, fluid can collect in the pouch
Describe the anterior anatomical relations to the right kidney
- Right supradrenal gland on the superior pole
- Peritoneum on the top half of anterior surface separating the right kidney from the liver.
- Descending duodenum on the centre of the anterior surface
- Right colic / hepatic flexure on the lateral part of the inferior pole
- Jejenum on the medial part of the inferior pole
Describe the anterior anatomical relations of the left kidney
- Left supradrenal gland on the upper half of the superior pole
- Stomach on the medial part of the lower half of superior pole
- Spleen on the lateral part of the lower half of superior pole
- Pancreas on the centre of the anterior surface
- Splenic flexure of descending colon on the lateral part of the inferior half
- Jejenum on the medial part of the inferior half
Posterior surface relations of both kidneys? (all boys need muscle)
A - 1 artery (subcostal)
B - 2 bones (11th and 12th ribs)
N - 3 nerves (subcostal, iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal)
M - 4 muscles (diaphragm, psoas major, Quadratus lumborum, transverses abdominis)
Describe the internal anatomy of the kidneys
- Renal cortex is the space between the medulla and the outer capsule where arterioles and venules from the renal artery and vein and glomerular capillaries perfuse the nephrons of the kidney
- Main unit of the renal medulla is the renal pyramid (8-18 renal pyramids) - pyramids are separated by renal columns
- Renal papilla open to the minor calyx
- Minor calyx join to form major calyx (usually 3, superior, middle and inferior)
- Major calyx join to form the renal pelvis
- Ureter emerges from renal pelvis and leaves through hilum
Where is EPO made in the kidneys?
renal cortex
Where does the blood supply to the kidneys come from?
Renal artery - branch from the abdominal aorta
Innervation to the kidney?
What effect will sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation have on the kidney?
Sympathetic: lower thoracic splanchnic nerves
Parasympathetic: vagus nerve
Sympathetic: triggers vasoconstriction and reduced renal blood flow = decrease urine production
Parasympathetic: vasodilation and increase blood flow to kidney = increase urine production
Where does lymph from the kidneys drain?
Lateral aortic (lumbar) lymph nodes
What is the structural unit of the kidney which filters blood and regulates blood volume, blood pressure and plasma osmolarity?
nephron