Renal fascia
Transverse section, showing the relations of the capsule of the kidney.
Sagittal section through posterior abdominal wall, showing the relations of the capsule of the kidney.
Latin	fascia renalis
Gray's	subject #253 1220

The renal fascia is a layer of connective tissue encapsulating the kidneys. The deeper layers below the renal fascia are, in order, the perinephric fat (or "perirenal fat"), renal capsule, and finally the parenchyma of the renal cortex. The spaces about the kidney are typically divided into three compartments: the perinephric space and anterior and posterior pararenal spaces.

• The perinephric space surrounding the kidneys, adrenal glands and the perinephric fat.

• The fascia anterior to the perinephric space has historically been termed Gerota's fascia. Anterior to this fascia is the anterior pararenal space which contains the pancreas, transverse colon and second through fourth duodenum.

• The fascia posterior to the perinephric space was named Zuckerkandl's fascia. Posterior to this lies the posterior paranephric space which does not contain any abdominal organs.

The anterior fascia and posterior fascia fuse laterally to form the lateroconal fascia. ^[1]

[edit] External links

• renal+fascia at eMedicine Dictionary
• SUNY Labs 40:03-0102 - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: The Retroperitoneal Fat and Suprarenal Glands"
• SUNY Anatomy Image 8951
• Human anatomy at Dartmouth figures/chapter_29/29-5.HTM

[edit] References

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.