Variations of origin of the renal artery: a review covering 403 aortographies.

With 403 aortographies made for various reasons, the authors study the level of origin of renal arteries in respect to the lumbar vertebrae. They compare the information supplied by arteriography with the findings of classical authors after dissection. When there are two kidneys, and one artery per kidney, these arteries originate at the level of the first two lumbar vertebrae, the right artery at the same level or above the left artery. Special cases are also considered, as for instance kidneys vascularized by several arteries, single kidneys and fused renal masses, amongst which the horseshoe kidney is the commonest. The interest of this study, in relation to both the removal or reparative renal surgery, and to renal transplantation is here emphasized.