Branching Pattern and Distribution of the Renal Arteries in Donkeys (Equus asinus)

Abdelgawad, Abdelrahman G.; Abuzeid, Saber M.; Elnahla, Sanaa M.

doi:10.21608/ejvs.2025.332615.2462

Branching Pattern and Distribution of the Renal Arteries in Donkeys (Equus asinus)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Arish University, Egypt

² Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.

10.21608/ejvs.2025.332615.2462

Abstract

The kidney is an essential organ in the mammalian body and has become a prominent focus of medical research. A thorough understanding of the branching patterns and courses of arterial vessels within the kidney is crucial, particularly when performing surgical procedures such as nephrectomy, renal transplantation, and renal biopsy. This study was conducted on the kidneys of ten adult donkeys. They were ethically anesthetized, euthanized, and embalmed. The extra-renal branching pattern was documented through gross examination. Following this, the kidneys of five donkeys were resected along with their intact renal arteries and subjected to radiographic analysis to illustrate both the excretory renal system and the distribution pattern and course of the arterial vessels within the kidneys. In most cases examined, the right and left renal arteries were represented by a single, robust stem originating from the lateral aspects of the abdominal aorta, just caudal to the origin of the cranial mesenteric artery. Each renal artery is subsequently divided into cranial, caudal, and hilar primary branches, subdivided into dorsal and ventral secondary branches. Notably, in one exceptional case, the left three primary divisions arose independently from the abdominal aorta. The interlobar arteries and their subdivisions from the secondary branches demonstrated nearly typical distribution, similar to that found in most other animals. This study underscores the significance of understanding the branching patterns and distribution of the renal artery in donkeys, highlighting key anatomical features that are crucial for veterinary studies and practices.

Keywords

Main Subjects