To study the intrarenal vascular segments of human kidney by corrosion cast technique

A study of the intrarenal arterial pattern of kidney by corrosion cast method has been carried out on 100 kidneys obtained from post mortem bodies. The abnormal origin of renal artery is rare and observed only in 2% cases. The renal artery divides extrarenally in about 68%, intrarenally in about 18% and at the hilum in 14% cases into anterior and posterior divisions. In very rare cases (2%) both the divisions arise separately at one point from abdominal aorta. Alternatively renal artery may not divide into anterior and posterior divisions but continues as anterior division and divide into upper, middle and lower segmental arteries in 1% cases. The branching pattern of anterior division shows 5 different variations grouped in 5 groups. The branching pattern of posterior division shows 3 different patterns. Vary rarely (1%) the posterior division is absent. Origin of apical segmental artery shows many variations and are grouped into 7 types. Origin and intrarenal branching pattern of upper, middle and lower segmental arteries shows many variations. Presence of accessory renal artery is a rare occurrence (about 2%). As there is no constant arterial segmental patterns of the kidney, it may often not be possible to forecast beforehand the type of partial nephrectomy which might or might not be possible in a particular case. Hence, for practical purposes, attempts at grouping and classification of variable arterial pattern seen is hardly of much significance. Very often, the decision to perform a segmental resection of the kidney shall have to be taken on operation table by surgeon after exploration of kidney or before operation by angiography. But it may of importance for surgeon to be acquainted with different types of cases unsuitable for segmental resection and this will put the surgeon on guad to exercise greater cautions.