Morphological expression of the renal artery. A direct anatomical study in a Colombian half-caste population

Irrigation of the kidneys is usually provided by a single renal artery; however, variations on this pattern have frequently been reported. This study was aimed at establishing the renal arteries' frequency and morphological characteristics in cadaverous material taken from a half-caste population from Bucaramanga (Colombia). The sample included 195 renal blocks corresponding to 57 (14.6%) kidneys from females and 333 (85.4%) from males. The renal arteries were injected with synthetic resin (palatal GP41L); following the resin's polymerization, the renal blocks were placed in KOH solution for corrosion the renal parenchyma. The individuals from whom the renal blocks, 74.9% of the kidneys presented renal arteries single and 25.1% had additional renal arteries. Average right and left renal artery length was 34.6 mm and 28.6 respectively (p<0.001). Renal artery diameter was 4.87 mm. Main renal arterydiameter in kidneys presenting additional renal arteries was less than that of those having a single renal artery, this being a significant difference (p= 0.0000). The renal arteries more frequently (85%) originated from the anterolateral part of the aorta. The right renal artery emerged rostrally in 49.2%, whilst both arteries were located at the same level in 34.4%. The renal poles received a greater contribution from frontal division branches, the upper pole 46.4% and the lower pole 55.9%. No significant differences were presented in the characteristics studied here regarding gender. The renal arteries presented great variability in morphological expression regarding their emergence and ramification level.