Blood flow to the kidney via the gonadal-renal capsular artery

The gonadal artery is an important collateral pathway of blood flow to the kidney. Collateral routes may be from the gonadal artery to the inferior capsular artery (gonadal-renal capsular artery) or to the periureteric arteries. These pathways develop in cases of renal artery stenosis, or when a vascular renal tumor increases the kidneys need for blood. We present five cases in which the gonadal artery served as a source of blood supply to the kidney.