Type of Article: Original Research DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2016.423 Page No.:  3156-3160

A RADIOANATOMICAL STUDY ON CADAVERIC KIDNEYS TO TRACE THE COURSE OF POLAR ARTERIES TO KIDNEYS N. Shakuntala Rao * 1 , K Meera 2 , K. Sujatha 3 , H.R. Krishna Rao 4 . * 1 Professor, Department of Anatomy, P.E.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India. 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, P.E.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India. 3  Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, P.E.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India. 4  Professor and Head, P.E.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India Address for Correspondence:  Dr. N. Shakuntala Rao, Professor, P.E.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research,  K uppam, Andhra Pradesh 517425, India. E-Mail: drshakuntala@gmail.com ABSTRACT Introduction:   The   segmental   arteries   of   the   kidneys   arise   from   the   anterior   and   posterior   divisions   of   the   main   renal   artery.   These   segmental   arteries branch   into   lobar   and   then   into   interlobar   arteries.   At   the   junction   of   the   cortex   and   medulla   they   dichotomize   into   arcuate   arteries.   Interlobular   arteries branch   off   at   right   angles   from   the   arcuate   arteries.   The   present   study   was   attempted   to   find   out   the   course   taken   by   the   polar   arteries,   whether   they   have a   specific   area   of   blood   supply   and   whether   they   contribute   to   any   anastomoses   in   the   cortex   with   other   arteries   or   whether   they   end   in   the   cortex separately. Results:   12   kidneys   out   of   the   52   kidneys      had   arteries   which   entered   the   upper   pole   of   the   kidneys.   The   arteries   that   entered   the   upper   poles   took   origin from   the   main   renal   artery   proximal   to   the   origin   of   anterior   segmental   artery   and   went   to   the   poles   directly   from   outside   the   hilum.   The   course   of   the artery   was   traced   through   radiological   procedure   and   found   that   they   entered   the   substance   of   the   kidney   and   no   traces   of   anastomoses   could   be   made out.   The   terminal   capillaries   could   not   be   traced   in   this   particular   method   of   study.   Therefore   it   was   not   possible   to   find   out   if   the   polar   arteries   gave   rise   to interlobular arteries after they entered the poles of the kidneys. Conclusion:   The   study   did   not   find   any   anastomoses   with   the   other   arteries   in   the   segment.   The   polar   arteries   ended   in   the   substance   of   the   kidney. Though   it   was   not   possible   to   trace   if   they   divided   into   interlobular   arteries   in   this   study   it   has   potential   for   research   in   the   future   to   detect   any   disturbance in   the   kidney   functions   of   those   who   have   polar   arteries.   If   the   polar   arteries   were   to   end   in   the   cortex   would   they   contribute   to   a   capsular   network   that results   in   increase   in   the   formation   of   stellate   veins   which   drain   into   interlobular   veins   and   therefore   increase   the   venous   drainage   of   the   kidneys?   Will   such an arrangement affect the counter current exchange mechanism?  KEY WORDS: Polar arteries, Segmental arteries, Anastomoses, Radioanatomical study. References 1 . 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