Retroperitoneum

Question 1

Why do you want something to be retroperitoneum?

Answer 1

• want organs to be kept in place such as liver and kidney due to veins/arteries running through and want them to remain vertical

Question 2

Where is the retroperitoneum located?

Answer 2

• sub-region of abdomen that lies posterior to peritoneal cavity

Question 3

What is the contents of the retroperitoneum?

Answer 3

• retroperitoneal structures

- extraperitoneal fat

Question 4

What are the retroperitoneal structures?

Answer 4

• duodenum
• pancreas
• ascending colon
• descending colon
• kidneys and ureters
• suprarenal glands
• fat, fascia and fascial space
• aorta and IVC
• nervous tissue and structures
• lymphatics

Question 5

What is the vertebral level of the left kidney?

Answer 5

• T12 to L2

Question 6

What is the vertebral level of the right kidney?

Answer 6

• L1 to L3

Question 7

Where do the kidneys lie?

Answer 7

• in paravertebral gutters

Question 8

What sits between the kidneys and the paravertebral gutters?

Answer 8

• perirenal fat

Question 9

Where does the superior pole of the kidney sit in relation to the inferior pole?

Answer 9

• the superior is pole is more medial

Question 10

What is the advantage of the inferior pole of the kidney sitting more lateral?

Answer 10

• it allows for the ureters to come straight out of the kidney and follow the psoas major

Question 11

What are the internal structures of the kidneys?

Answer 11

• renal hilum
• renal sinus
• renal pelvis
• major calyces
• minor calyces

Question 12

What is the renal pedicle?

Answer 12

• all the structures that pass through the hilum

Question 13

What is the contents of the renal pedicle?

Answer 13

• ureter
• renal artery
• renal vein
• nerves
• lymphatics

Question 14

What are the posterior relations of the kidneys?

Answer 14

• thoracic diaphragm
• transversus abdominis
• quadratus lumborum
• psoas major

Question 15

What is the diameter of abdominal ureter?

Answer 15

3-5 mm

Question 16

What is the length of the abdominal ureter?

Answer 16

12 cm

Question 17

Where does the abdominal ureter become the pelvic ureter?

Answer 17

• once is crosses the pelvic brim

Question 18

What are 3 main constrictions of the abdominal ureters?

Answer 18

• ureteropelvic junction
• common iliac vessels
• pelvic brim

Question 19

What are the 4 main variations of ureters?

Answer 19

• duplex/double pelvis
• bifid ureter
• duplex/double ureter
• ectopic ureter

Question 20

What are the three main anterior aorta branches?

Answer 20

• coeliac artery
• superior mesenteric artery
• inferior mesenteric artery

Question 21

What are the three main lateral branches of the aorta?

Answer 21

• renal arteries
• middle suprarenal arteries
• testicular/ovarian arteries

Question 22

What are the two main posterior branches of the aorta?

Answer 22

• lumbar arteries

- median sacral artery

Question 23

What are the tributies of the inferior vena cava

Answer 23

• Left and right common iliac veins
• 3rd and 4th lumbar veins
• testicular/ovarian veins
• Left and right renal arteries
• azygos vein
• right suprarenal vein
• right, middle and left hepatic veins

Question 24

What vertebral level is the anterior rami of spinal nerve?

Answer 24

• L1 to L4

Question 25

What nerves comes of the lumbar plexuses?

Answer 25

- femoral and obturator