354 



Surfaces. 



Anterior 



of right 

 kidney, 



DISSECTION OF THE ABDOMEN. 



Their anterior surfaces look somewhat outwards, and are more 

 convex than the posterior, which, latter, look partly inwards and are 

 moulded on the posterior abdominal wall. 



In well-preserved specimens the anterior surfaces are distinctly 

 facetted by the pressure of the overlying viscera; the distinctness 

 of the ridges indicating the extent of the moulding that the kidney 

 has undergone. 



The position of the overlying parts has already been studied, and 

 the extent of the contact with the subjacent kidneys is diagramrnati- 

 cally shown in the accompanying figure (135). 



A large part of the ANTERIOR SURFACE of the right kidney is in 

 contact with the liver, and its limit below and internally is usually 

 defined by a well-marked ridge. The whole of this surface is 

 covered by peritoneum except at the upper and inner angle, where 

 the .suprarenal body overlaps the kidney. The lower end of the 

 kidney usually presents a well-defined surface looking downwards 



of left 

 kidney. 



Posterior 

 surfaces. 



5 TV 



RIGHT KIDNEY. LEFT KIDNEY. 



FIG. 135. DIAGRAM OF THE RELATIONS OF THE ANTERIOR AND OUTER 

 ASPECTS OF THE KIDNEYS. 



i.v.c. marks the surface in contact with the vena cava. 



and forwards, where it is impressed by the ascending colon. The 

 duodenum lies, to a variable extent, over the inner part. 



The spleen above and the descending colon below usually give 

 rise to distinct impressions on the outer margin of the left kidney ; 

 the suprarenal body, along the inner border above, reaches down as 

 far as the hilum ; the pancreas extends across in front of the hiluni 

 as far as the splenic impression, and a small part of the anterior 

 surface of the kidney above this is usually in contact with the 

 stomach. The lower half of the anterior surface below the pancreas 

 presents a large surface, upon which lie coils of the jejunum. 



The POSTERIOR SURFACE of each kidney presents an inner area, 

 where it lies against the psoas muscle and the crus of the diaphragm 

 as these parts clothe the sides of the bodies of the vertebrae, and an 



