renal vein

Examples of renal vein in the following topics:

• Supply of Blood and Nerves to the Kidneys

  • The renal veins drain the kidney and the renal arteries supply blood to the kidney.
  • The arteries, veins, and nerves that supply the kidney enter and exit at the renal hilum.
  • Renal blood supply starts with the branching of the aorta into the renal arteries (which are each named based on the region of the kidney they pass through) and ends with the exiting of the renal veins to join the inferior vena cava.
  • The renal veins are the veins that drain the kidneys and connect them to the inferior vena cava.
  • The renal vein drains blood from venules that arise from the interlobular capillaries inside the parenchyma of the kidney.

• Veins of the Thorax

  • Bilaterally, it arises from the superior epigastric vein, accompanies the internal thoracic artery along its course, and terminates in the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The supreme intercostal vein is a paired vein that drains the first intercostal space on its corresponding side.
  • It usually drains into the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The renal veins from the kidney and hepatic veins of the liver drain directly into the inferior vena cava.
  • Additionally, the superior and inferior phrenic veins drain the diaphragm and usually open into the internal mammary vein and inferior vena cava, respectively.

• Location and External Anatomy of the Kidneys

  • The kidneys are the primary functional organ of the renal system.
  • They are covered by the renal capsule, which is a tough capsule of fibrous connective tissue.
  • Resting on top of each kidney is an adrenal gland (adrenal meaning on top of renal), which are involved in some renal system processes despite being a primarily endocrine organ.
  • The renal artery branches off from the lower part of the aorta and provides the blood supply to the kidneys.
  • Renal veins take blood away from the kidneys into the inferior vena cava.

• Principal Veins

  • Deep veins are often of larger caliber than superficial veins and carry the majority of the blood within the circulatory system.
  • Communicating veins, or perforator veins if they pass through a large muscle mass, directly connect superficial and direct veins.
  • The venae cavae are the veins with the largest diameter.
  • The renal and hepatic veins from the kidneys and liver respectively also feed into the inferior vena cava.
  • There are four pulmonary veins, two from each lung, each of which forms from three to four bronchial veins.

• Overview of the Urinary System

  • The renal system organs include the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
  • The  renal system has many functions.
  • The kidneys have an extensive blood supply from the renal arteries that leave the kidneys via the renal vein.
  • The nephrons are made up of a capsule capillaries (the glomerulus) and a small renal tube.
  • Urine passes from the renal tube through tubes called ureters and into the bladder.

• Internal Anatomy of the Kidneys

  • The renal cortex is a space between the medulla and the outer capsule.
  • The kidneys are surrounded by a renal cortex, a layer of tissue that is also covered by renal fascia (connective tissue) and the renal capsule.
  • The cortex provides a space for arterioles and venules from the renal artery and vein, as well as the glomerular capillaries, to perfuse the nephrons of the kidney.
  • The renal pelvis contains the hilium.
  • The renal pelvis connects the kidney to the rest of the body.

• Great Vessels of the Heart

  • The right and left subclavian veins, jugular veins, and thyroid veins feed into the superior vena cava.
  • The subclavian veins are significant because the thoracic lymphatic duct drains lymph fluid into the subclavian veins, making the superior vena cava a site of lymph fluid recirculation into the plasma.
  • Along the way up the body from the iliac veins, the renal and suprarenal veins (kidney and adrenal glands), lumbar veins (from the back), and hepatic veins (from the liver) all drain into the inferior vena cava.
  • The abdominal aorta is the part of the descending aorta below the diaphragm, which divides into the iliac arteries and branches into the renal and suprarenal arteries.
  • Four pulmonary veins enter the left atrium.

• Ureters

  • The ureters receive a blood supply from a few different major arteries including the renal and illiac artery derivatives, and have a relatively dense nerve supply as well.
  • The ureteral valves function similarly to the semilunar valves in the veins of the body, but are structurally different, consisting of transverse mucosal epithelial folds.
  • 1) Human urinary system. 2) Kidney. 3) Renal pelvis. 4) Ureter. 5) Urinary bladder. 6) Urethra (left side with frontal section). 7) Adrenal gland vessels. 8) Renal artery and vein. 9) Inferior vena cava. 10) Abdominal aorta. 11) Common iliac artery and vein with transparency. 12) Liver. 13) Large intestine. 14) Pelvis.

• Veins of the Upper Limbs

  • The major deep veins of the arm are the radial and ulnar veins, which run along the length of their respective bones and merge at the elbow to form the paired brachial vein.
  • The major superficial veins of the upper limb are the cephalic, median cubital and basilic veins.
  • The basilic vein follows a similar path but is located medially to the cephalic vein.
  • At the shoulder, the basilic vein passes deep into the arm and merges with the brachial veins to form the axillary vein, to which the cephaliac vein merges, forming the subclavian vein.
  • The deep veins are shown in blue.

• Veins of the Head and Neck

  • The superficial external jugular vein is formed from the retromandibular vein and the posterior auricular vein at a point adjacent to the mandible.
  • The external jugular vein passes down the neck and underneath the clavicle before draining into the subclavian vein.
  • Upon exiting the neck, the internal jugular vein merges with the subclavian vein to form the brachiocephalic vein.
  • Additional veins such as the occipital, deep cervical, and thyroid veins drain directly into the brachiocephalic vein.
  • The veins of head and neck are labeled in blue, with an arrow pointing to the auricular vein.