Pelvi-caliceal collecting system in swine--authors own anatomical classification

Experiments on humans and their organs produce legal, moral and ethical dilemmas. Nowadays, the use of domestic swine as an experimental animal is increasing steadily. Thus it is important to know the structure and characteristics of swine organs.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the shape, dimensions and volume of the renal collecting system in swine, based on authors own outline of division of this anatomical structure, as well as comparing some features of the pelvi-caliceal collecting system for swine and man.

The study was carried out on 36 kidneys of adult swine (Sus scrofa domestica) of both sexes. The authors generated the corrosion specimens by applying Plastogen G. The authors took the density of the stained and hardened mass into consideration and weighed the corrosion casts. Then the authors could estimate the volume of the pelvi-caliceal collecting system by applying the formula which states that volume is a quotient of weight and density.

The mean dimensions of the pelvi-caliceal collecting system in swine are: length--69.2 mm, width--23.5 mm, thickness--15.8 mm; the volume of this system is on average 7.0 cm3. The renal collecting system originates from the minor calices which are in the shape of flattened cones. Their mean dimensions are: diameter--9.3 mm, height--3 mm. The major calices, taking the form ofa cylindrical body, emerge from the minor calices. The mean dimensions of the primary major calices inserted in the renal pelvis are: length--.0 mm, diameter--6 mm; the primary calices which come into secondary ones: length--7 mm, diameter--3 mm; the secondary major calices: length--.3 mm, diameter--0 mm. The renal pelvis is the last part of the pelvi-caliceal collecting system and takes the form of a distorted triangle. Its mean dimensions are: width--.1 mm, height--.7 mm.

The pelvi-caliceal collecting system in swine is a massive structure of high volume, with a well-developed structure of the renal calices and swollen renal pelvis. The studied structure is more massive and its volume is about three times larger than that in man. Despite some disadvantages, perhaps in the future a swine kidney will be transplanted into a man, but nowadays due to lack of dissection material it may be used as a teaching model or in experimental research.