Renal vein
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Vein: Renal vein | ||
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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 |
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Latin | vv. renales | |
Gray's | subject #173 | |
Drains from | kidney | |
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]
Contents |
[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:
- left suprarenal vein
- left lumbar vein
- left gonadal vein (left testicular vein in males, left ovarian vein in females)
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] Additional images
[edit] See also
[edit] Reference
- ^ iv_2/m/MULTIPLE_RENAL_VEINS article at GE's Medcyclopaedia