Kidney

What are the four organs of the urinary system?

• kidneys

• ureters

• bladder

• urethra

What is the location of the kidneys?

Retroperitoneal

What shape are the kidneys?

Bean-shaped

Where do the kidneys lie?

In the paravertebral gutters against the posterior abdominal wall

How are the kidneys positioned?

They lie obliquely

How are the upper poles positioned compared with the lower poles?

The upper poles are more medial and more posterior

Which kidney is lower?

The right kidney is slightly more inferior than the left

What surrounds the kidneys?

Perirenal fat and renal fascia

What are the two main regions of the kidney?

• Renal cortex

• Renal medulla

What is the renal cortex?

The outer 1/3 of renal tissue

• responsible for filtration of urine

Where does the renal cortex extend?

Between the renal pyramids of the medulla

What is found in the renal medulla?

Renal pyramids

What direction do the renal pyramids radiate?

From renal sinus

What is the urine drainage pathway?

Minor calyces → major calyces → renal pelvis → ureters

What is the renal pelvis?

The largest dilated portion of the collecting system

• continuous with the ureters

What is the renal sinus?

A fat-filled cavity surrounding the renal pelvis

What is another name for renal fascia?

Gerota’s fascia

What is Gerota’s fascia?

The renal fascia surrounding the kidney

• protective layer

What does Gerota’s fascia do?

Anchors the kidneys to surrounding structures and limits the spread of infection

What is the renal hilum?

The area where the renal artery enters and the renal vein and ureter exit

What enters the kidney at the hilum?

Renal artery

What exits the kidney at the hilum?

• Renal vein

• Ureter

What collects urine from the renal pyramids?

Minor calyces

What do minor calyces drain into?

Major calyces

What do major calyces drain into?

Renal pelvis

What carries urine from the kidney to the bladder?

Ureter

What are the major vessels of the kidney?

• renal artery

• renal vein