Kidney

Kidney :  

Defination : The kidneys are a pair of excretory organs situated at the posterior abdominal wall, one on each side of vertebral column , behind the peritoneum. 

Description of kidney : 

• The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates.
• They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space. 
• They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood exits into the paired renal veins.
• Each kidney is attached to a ureter, a tube that carries excreted urine to the bladder.
• In the fetus the kidney is lobulated and is made up of about 12 lobules , After birth lobules are fused so that kidney is uniformly smooth.  

Structure : 

• In humans, the kidneys are located high in the abdominal cavity, one on each side of the spine, and lie in a retroperitoneal position at a slightly oblique angle.
• Right kidney is lower than left kidney due to presence of liver.
• The left kidney is approximately at the vertebral level T12 to L3, and the right is slightly lower.  
• The right kidney sits just below the diaphragm and posterior to the liver.
• The left kidney sits below the diaphragm and posterior to the spleen.
• On top of each kidney is an adrenal gland. 
• The upper parts of the kidneys are partially protected by the 11th and 12th ribs. 
• 
• kidney measures , length (11 cm), broad (6 cm), thick (3 cm) .
• Weight in both male and female is varies i.e in Male (150 g) , in Female (135 g) 
• Kidney are reddish brown in colour.  

Location :

• The kidney occupy the epigastric , hypochondric, lumbar, umbilical region. 
• Vertically it extended from 12th thoracic to 3rd lumbar .
• Left kidney is little nearer to median plane than left kedney. 

External features : Each kidney is bean shaped. It has upper and lower poles, medial and lateral borders, and anterior and posterior borders. 

• Two poles of kidney : The upper pole is in close contact with SUPRARENAL  GLAND . The lower end is POINTED . 
• Two surfaces : Anterior surface and posterior surface . Anterior surface is irregular, Posterior surface is flat.
• Two borders : Lateral border and Medial border . Lateral border is  convex, Medial border is concave 
• Hilum : The following structures seen in the hilum from anterior to posterior side. 1. renal vain 2.The renal artery , and 3. The renal pelvis, which is expanded upper end of the ureter.   

Clinical anatomy : 

• The common diseases of kidney is nephrities, pyeloneprities , tuberculosis of kidney, renal stone, and tumours. 
• The common manifestations of a kidney diseases are renal oedema and hypertention. 
• Raised blood urea indicate suppressed kidney function and renal failure. Kidney transplantation is done in selected cases.
• In cases of chronic renal failure dialysis needs to be done. 
• Kidney is likely to have stone as urine gets concentrated here.
• One common congenital condition of kidney is polycystic kidney which leads to hypertention .