Anatomical Variations of the Renal Arterial System in Korean Adults on Donor Renal Arteriography

Yoon, Jai Young; Chung, Ho Seok; Park, Yong Hyun

Abstract

The renal arteriographies in 205 living renal transplant donors (male 118, female 87) were reviewed retrospectively to evaluate the anatomical variations of the renal arterial system in Korean adults. The mean length of the right renal arteries in male and female was longer than that of the left renal arteries (P<0.05). The mean diameter of the renal arteries in male (8.14+/-0.94cm) was longer than that of female (7.29+/-0.93cm) (p<0.05). But the mean ratio of the diameter of the renal artery to aorta between male and female was not significantly different (male 42.1+/-5.8%, female 41.2+/-6.2%). Polar arteries originating from the aorta were identified in 54 cases (26.3%; male 31.3%, female 19.5%). The frequency of the polar arteries on the left kidney was higher than that of the right kidney (19.5% vs 10.7%, p<0.05) and 8 cases (3.9%) had bilateral polar arteries. The supplementary arteries which arises in the proximal portion of main renal artery were identified in 58 cases (28.3%). The frequency of the supplementary arteries on the right kidney (40 cases, 19.5%) was higher than that of the left kidney (26 cases, 12.7%) (p<0.05) and 8 cases (3.9%) had bilateral supplementary arteries. The distribution area of polar artery (29.1+/-13.8%) was larger than that of supplementary arteries (17.0+/-11.1%) (p<0.05). In conclusion, anatomical variations of the renal arterial system in Korean adults were similar to those of western and these data will be helpful to understand renal arterial system in Korean adults.