Abstract
The peri-hilar (extra-parenchymal) branching pattern of the renal artery is important for surgeons to know prior to kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to identify the variations in peri-hilar branching pattern and morphology of the main renal artery. Arteriograms of 81 kidneys were examined. After marking the renal shadow, the main renal artery was traced laterally from its origin. Morphologically, the arterial branching patterns were classified into ladder (with sequential branching points) and fork (with a common branching point) types. The latter was either duplicated or triplicated. The peri-hilar morphology of the main renal artery was then categorized according to its primary and secondary divisions and their patterns. If a single category encompassed at least 5% of the observed figures, it was recorded as a “cardinal” peri-hilar arterial morphology. Otherwise, it was counted within the category of “infrequent” morphologies. At the level of the main artery, a fork pattern was observed in 92.6% (n = 75) (80.2% duplicated (n = 65) and 12.4% triplicated (n = 10)) and a ladder pattern in 7.4% (n = 6) of kidneys. Of 160 primary branches off the fork-type main artery, a secondary division was found in 68.8%. Only one further division (4.4%) was noted from the ladder-type primary arteries. Eight “cardinal” peri-hilar renal arterial morphologies were identified and represented 82.7% of all cases. At least ten “infrequent” morphologies were also found. These patterns showed some alteration with the presence of a supernumerary renal artery. We concluded that the peri-hilar branching of main renal artery is highly variable, though this may follow certain patterns. We believe that the results may be useful to surgeons operating at the renal hilum especially during kidney transplantation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adamis MK, Goldszer RC, Pulde MF, Sax EJ, Edelman RR (1995) Renal vasculature in potential renal transplant donors: comparison of MR imaging and digital subtraction angiography. Radiology 197:467–472
Anson BJ, Cauldwell EW, Pick JW, Beaton LE (1947) The blood supply of the kidney, suprarenal gland, and associated structures. Surg Gyn Obst 84:313–320
Anson BJ, Cauldwell EW, Pick JW, Beaton LE (1948) The anatomy of the pararenal system of veins, with comments on the renal arteries. J Urol 60:714–737
Benedetti E, Troppmann C, Gillingham K et al (1995) Short- and long-term outcomes of 5. Kidney transplants with multiple renal arteries. Ann Surg 221:406–414
Bordei P, Sapte E, Iliescu D (2004) Double renal arteries originating from the aorta. Surg Radiol Anat 26:474–479
Coen LD, Raftery AT (1992) Anatomical variations of the renal arteries and renal transplantation. Clin Anat 5:425–432
Evan AP, Connors BA, Lingeman JE, Blomgren P, Willis LR (1996) Branching patterns of the renal artery of the pig. Anat Rec 246:217–223
Felix W (1912) The development of the urogenital organs. In: Keibel F, Mall FP (eds) Manual of human embryology. Lippincott & Crowell, Philadelphia, pp 752–979
Fine H, Keen EN (1966) The arteries of the human kidney. J Anat 100(Pt 4):881–894
Graves FT (1971) The arterial anatomy of the kidney. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore
Horacek MJ, Earle AM, Gilmore JP (1987) The renal vascular system of the monkey: a gross anatomical description. J Anat 153:123–137
Khamanarong K, Prachaney P, Utraravichien A, Tong-Un T, Sripaoraya K (2004) Anatomy of renal arterial supply. Clin Anat 17:334–336
Merklin RJ, Michels NA (1958) The variant renal and suprarenal blood supply with data on the inferior phrenic, ureteral and gonadal arteries: a statistical analysis based on 185 dissections and review of the literature. J Int Coll Surg 29:41–76
Moon I, Kim Y, Park J, Kim S, Koh Y (1998) Various vascular procedures in kidney transplantations. Transplant Proc 30:3006
Shakeri AB, Tubbs RS, Shoja MM et al (2007) Bipolar supernumerary renal artery. Surg Radiol Anat 29:89–92
Shoja MM, Tubbs RS, Shakeri AB, Oakes WJ (2007) Origins of the gonadal artery: embryologic implications. Clin Anat 20:428–432
Sykes D (1964) The correlation between renal vascularisation and lobulation of the kidney. Br J Urol 36:549–555
Sykes D (1963) The arterial supply of the human kidney with special reference to accessory renal arteries. Br J Surg 50:368–374
Urban BA, Ratner LE, Fishman EK (2001) Three-dimensional volume-rendered CT angiography of the renal arteries and veins: normal anatomy, variants, and clinical applications. Radiographics 21:373–386
Weld KJ, Bhayani SB, Belani J, Ames CD, Hruby G, Landman J (2005) Extrarenal vascular anatomy of kidney: assessment of variations and their relevance to partial nephrectomy. Urology 66:985–989
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shoja, M.M., Tubbs, R.S., Shakeri, A. et al. Peri-hilar branching patterns and morphologies of the renal artery: a review and anatomical study. Surg Radiol Anat 30, 375–382 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-008-0342-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-008-0342-5