Vein: Renal vein
The anterior surfaces of the kidneys, showing the areas of contact of neighboring viscera.
1. Renal pyramid 2. Efferent artery 3. Renal artery 4. Renal vein 5. Renal hilum 6. Renal pelvis 7. Ureter 8. Minor calyx 9. Renal capsule 10. Inferior renal capsule 11. Superior renal capsule 12. Afferent vein 13. Nephron 14. Minor calyx 15. Major calyx 16. Renal papilla 17. Renal column
Latin	venae renales
Gray's	subject #173 679
Drains from	kidney
Source	interlobar veins
Drains to	inferior vena cava
Artery	Renal artery
MeSH	Renal+Veins

The renal veins are veins that drain the kidney. They connect the kidney to the inferior vena cava.

It is usually singular to each kidney, except in the condition "multiple renal veins".^[1]

It also divides into 2 divisions upon entering the kidney:

• the anterior branch which receives blood from the anterior portion of the kidney and,
• the posterior branch which receives blood from the posterior portion.

Often, each renal vein will have a branch that receives blood from the ureter.

Contents 1 Asymmetry 2 Pathology 3 References 4 Additional images 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Asymmetry

Because the inferior vena cava is on the right half of the body, the left renal vein is generally the longer of the two.

Because the inferior vena cava is not laterally symmetrical, the left renal vein often receives the following veins:^[2]

• left inferior phrenic vein
• left suprarenal vein
• left gonadal vein (left testicular vein in males, left ovarian vein in females)
• left 2nd lumbar vein

This is in contrast to the right side of the body, where these veins drain directly into the IVC.

[edit] Pathology

Diseases associated with the renal vein include renal vein thrombosis (RVT) and nutcracker syndrome (renal vein entrapment syndrome).

[edit] References

[edit] Additional images

Frontal section through the kidney

Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins.

The venæ cavæ and azygos veins, with their tributaries.

Human kidneys viewed from behind with spine removed.

Kidney

[edit] See also

• renal physiology

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• SUNY Figs 40:06-05 - "Retroperitoneal structures on the posterior abdominal wall."

v • d • e Veins of the torso (TA A12.3.01-04, 07, 09-10, GA 7.664) Thorax Coronary coronary sinus (great cardiac, left marginal, small cardiac, middle cardiac, posterior of the left ventricle, oblique of the left atrium) · anterior cardiac (right marginal) · pulmonary SVC Brachiocephalic internal thoracic (anterior intercostal, superior epigastric) · left superior intercostal · supreme · vertebral · subclavian (axillary: lateral thoracic, thoracoepigastric, dorsal scapular) · pericardiacophrenic Azygos right superior intercostal · bronchial · intercostal/posterior intercostal 5-11 · accessory hemiazygos/hemiazygos · superior phrenic Vertebral column vertebral venous plexuses (external, internal) · spinal (posterior, anterior) · basivertebral · intervertebral Abdomen/pelvis To azygos system ascending lumbar (subcostal) IVC (Systemic) To IVC or left renal vein inferior phrenic · hepatic (central veins of liver, liver sinusoid) · suprarenal · renal · gonadal (ovarian ♀/testicular ♂, pampiniform plexus ♂) · lumbar · common iliac Common iliac Unpaired median sacral vein External iliac inferior epigastric · deep circumflex iliac vein Internal iliac posterior: iliolumbar · superior gluteal · lateral sacral anterior: inferior gluteal · obturator · uterine ♀ (uterine plexus ♀) · vesical (vesical plexus, prostatic plexus ♂, deep of penis ♂/clitoris ♀, posterior scrotal ♂/labial ♀) · vaginal plexus/vein ♀ · middle rectal · internal pudendal (inferior rectal, bulb of penis ♂/vestibule ♀) · rectal plexus Portal vein (Portal) Splenic short gastric · left gastroepiploic · pancreatic · inferior mesenteric (superior rectal, left colic) Superior mesenteric right gastroepiploic · pancreaticoduodenal · jejunal · ileal · middle colic · right colic · ileocolic (appendicular) Direct cystic · left gastric/esophageal · right gastric · paraumbilical

v • d • e Anatomy: urinary system (TA A08, GA 11.1215) Abdomen Kidneys Layers Renal fascia • Renal capsule • Renal cortex  (Renal column) • Renal medulla (Renal sinus, Renal pyramids, medullary interstitium) • Renal lobe • Cortical lobule • Medullary ray • Nephron Afferent circulation Renal artery → Segmental arteries → Interlobar arteries → Arcuate arteries → Interlobular arteries → Afferent arterioles → Renal corpuscle (Glomerulus, Bowman's capsule) Renal tubule Proximal tubule → Loop of Henle (Descending, Thin ascending, Thick ascending) → Distal convoluted tubule → Connecting tubule → Collecting ducts aka Duct of Belini → Renal papilla → Minor calyx → Major calyx → Renal pelvis Efferent circulation Glomerulus → Efferent arterioles → Peritubular capillaries / Vasa recta → Arcuate vein → Interlobar veins → Renal vein Juxtaglomerular apparatus Macula densa • Juxtaglomerular cells • Mesangium/Extraglomerular mesangial cell Filtration Glomerular basement membrane • Podocyte • Filtration slits • Mesangium/Intraglomerular mesangial cell • Tubular fluid Ureters Orifice of ureter Pelvis Bladder Uvula • Trigone • Detrusor • Apex • Neck Urethra Urethral sphincters (External sphincter muscle of male urethra, External sphincter muscle of female urethra, Internal sphincter muscle of urethra) urinary system navs: anat/physio/dev, noncongen/acid+base/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc

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