Urinary Flashcards
(158 cards)
Which renal vein is longer? Why?
Left because it has to cross over the aorta
Why does the testicular vein drain into the renal vein on the left but not on the right?
The left renal vein is longer because it crosses over the aorta.
What spinal levels are the kidneys found at?
Left - T11/12
Right - T12/L2
Which kidney is usually lower? Why?
Right because it is pushed down by the liver
Which areas make up the parenchyma of the kidney?
The cortex and the medulla
Describe the flow of urine as it leaves the collecting ducts.
Minor calyx - major calyx - renal pelvis - ureter - bladder - urethra
How can you identify the ureters on an X-ray?
Follow the path of the transverse spinous processes
In which operations do the ureters frequently get damaged? Why?
Hysterectomy
Because the uterine artery (which has to be cut) travels over the ureter and it is pulsatile so looks slightly arterial
Water under the bridge
Where are the three most common sites for kidney stones?
Top - pelvoureteric junction
Middle - as ureter passes over the iliac crest
Bottom - vesicoureteric junction
Describe the type of pain caused by renal stones. Why does it feel like this?
Loin to groin in the T11-L2 dermatomes
Colicky because ureter is a pulsatile tube, pushing intermittently against the stone
Where is the perinephric fat?
Around the hilum of the kidney. (Where everything else enters)
What is the kidney capsule?
Dense fibrous covering which surrounds each kidney.
What is the structure in the kidney that allows filtration to occur?
Glomerulus
Glomerular tuft of arterioles inside the Bowman’s capsule
Give three important locations of terminal arteries.
Brain, kidney, retina
Which embryological tissue does the urinary system derive from?
Intermediate mesoderm
Name the 3 embryological stages of urinary development.
Pro nephros
Meso nephros
Meta nephros
What are the two components of the mesonephros and what are their derivatives?
Ureteric bud - turns into collecting system and drives metanephros
Mesonephric duct - vas deferens
How does the metanephros develop?
Ureteric bud drives development de novo from intermediate mesoderm
What is the cloaca and how is it divided?
Where the GI tract and urogenital sinus merge.
It is divided by the growth of the urorectal sinus.
What is the urachus? What is its adult derivative? What happens if it remains patent?
Duct that joins urogenital sinus (future bladder) to the umbilicus
Turns into umbilical ligament
If it remains patent, urine leaks from umbilicus
Describe the ascent of the metanephros.
Begins in the hindgut and the trunk grows around it, so that it appears to ascend to the level of t11. Renal arteries develop along the ascent.
Why are there often supernumerary renal arteries?
Form and reform during the ascent of the kidney.
What causes a horseshoe kidney?
Kidneys rotate and fuse during their ascent. The isthmus (fused part) stops it travelling higher than the inferior mesenteric artery.
What causes an ectopic ureter? What complication can be associated with it?
2 ureteric buds form - either de novo or by one splitting.
If the ectopic ureter opens inferior to the bladder it can lead to incontinence.