The Prevalence of Variations in the Morphology of Renal Arteries in the North Indian Population.

Background and objective The kidneys occur in pairs, and each kidney is supplied by a single artery originating from the abdominal aorta. However, unusually, these arteries supplying the kidneys may originate from sources other than the abdominal aorta and may also be double or triple in number. In addition, the arteries supplying the kidneys through the hilum may also enter the kidneys through their poles. Such arteries are known as polar arteries. The aforementioned variations show ethnic differences. There is a scarcity of literature describing the variations in these arteries in the North Indian population. Hence, this study aimed to highlight the variations in the renal arteries (RAs) in the North Indian population. Methods The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy using 15 formalin-fixed cadavers. The abdomen was opened, the kidneys and RAs were exposed, and the variations were recorded, photographed, and interpreted. Results The prevalence of a single RA unilaterally was 66.7% (20/30), while that of a single RA bilaterally was 46.7%. The incidence of double RAs unilaterally was 26.7% (8/30), while that bilaterally was 6.7% (1/15). Polar arteries were observed in two specimens: one on the left side, constituting 6.7% (1/15), and the other on the right side, arising from the abdominal aorta as a common trunk with the RA. All arteries originated from the abdominal aorta. Conclusions Knowledge of RA variations will be of immense use to urologists in the diagnosis and management of kidney diseases in the North Indian population.