THE URETERS 447 



named the fascia renalis, continuous with the subperitoneal 

 fascia. Its anterior -portion passes inward over the renal 

 vessels, and blends with the same layer from the opposite 

 side. Its posterior layer passes behind and fuses with the 

 fascia over the quadratus lumborum and psoas muscles; passing 

 to the vertebral column. At the upper extremity the two 

 layers fuse with the fascia of the diaphragm. Below they 

 remain separate and are lost on the subperitoneal fascia of 

 the iliac fossa. The fascia renalis is attached to the kidney 

 capsule by numerous trabeculse. Behind the fascia renalis 

 is the pararenal fat, or body. The kidney is held also by the 

 attachments to adjoining viscera, by the means of peritoneal 

 folds or ligaments, as the lienorenal ligament. 



The renal arteries divide into three or four branches before 

 entering the hilum. They give off a branch to the suprarenal 

 gland, the ureter, and surrounding muscles. The arteries 

 lie behind the vein and in front of the ureter. The left renal 

 vein receives the left phrenic and spermatic veins and opens 

 into the inferior vena cava. 



The nerves of the kidney are derived from the sympathetic 

 through the renal plexus. 



The lymphatics drain from three locations: From the 

 perirenal fat, which drains directly into the upper lateral 

 aortic nodes; from beneath the capsule, which joins at the 

 hilum with the third set, from the substance of the kidney, and 

 pass along the renal vessels to empty into the lateral aortic 

 nodes. The subcapsular and perirenal lymphatics communicate 

 freely with each other. 



THE URETERS 



The ureters are two in number and convey the urine from 

 the kidney to the bladder. The urine is collected from several 

 minor calices, ten to twenty in number, which open into the 

 major calices, the latter by their junction form the pelvis, 

 or dilated portion of the ureter. It is on a line with the first 

 lumbar vertebra. 



The ureter proper is divided into an abdominal portion (pars 

 abdominalis) and a pelvic portion (pars pelvina). They are 

 10 to 12 inches in length and J of an inch in diameter. The 



