The renal fascia is a layer of

connective tissue Connective tissue is one of the four primary types of animal tissue, along with epithelial tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue. It develops from the mesenchyme derived from the mesoderm the middle embryonic germ layer. Connective tiss ...

encapsulating the

kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood ...

s and the

adrenal gland The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex which ...

s. It can be divided into: *The anterior renal fascia, also called Gerota's fascia (after

Dimitrie Gerota Dimitrie D. Gerota (pronounced , 17 July 1867 – 3 March 1939) was a Romanian anatomist, physician, radiologist, urologist, and corresponding member of the Romanian Academy from 1916. Biography He was born in Craiova, the son of a priest, Dimi ...

) *The posterior renal fascia, also called Zuckerkandl's fascia or fascia retrorenalis The renal fascia separates the

adipose capsule of kidney The retroperitoneal space (retroperitoneum) is the anatomical space (sometimes a potential space) behind (''retro'') the peritoneum. It has no specific delineating anatomical structures. Organs are retroperitoneal if they have peritoneum on their ...

from the overlying

pararenal fat The retroperitoneal space (retroperitoneum) is the anatomical space (sometimes a potential space) behind (''retro'') the peritoneum. It has no specific delineating anatomical structures. Organs are retroperitoneal if they have peritoneum on thei ...

. The deeper layers below the renal fascia are, in order, the adipose capsule (or perirenal fat), the

renal capsule The renal capsule is a tough fibrous layer surrounding the kidney and covered in a layer of perirenal fat known as the adipose capsule of kidney. The adipose capsule is sometimes included in the structure of the renal capsule. It provides some p ...

and finally the parenchyma of the

renal cortex The renal cortex is the outer portion of the kidney between the renal capsule and the renal medulla. In the adult, it forms a continuous smooth outer zone with a number of projections (cortical columns) that extend down between the pyramids. It ...

. The spaces about the kidney are typically divided into three compartments: the perinephric space and the anterior and posterior pararenal spaces.

Anterior renal fascia

* Medial attachment: Passes anterior to the kidney, renal vessels, abdominal aorta and

inferior vena cava The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries the deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the right atrium of the heart. It is formed by the joining of the right and the left common iliac veins, usually at the level of the ...

and fuses with the anterior layer of the renal fascia of the opposite kidney. * Lateral attachment: Fuses with the

psoas fascia Psoas (from Greek ψόας) can refer to: * Psoas major muscle * Psoas minor muscle * Psoas sign The psoas sign, also known as Cope's sign (or Cope's psoas test) or Obraztsova's sign, is a medical sign that indicates irritation to the iliopsoas ...

and side of the body of the vertebrae. * Superior attachment: The anterior and posterior layers fuse at the upper pole of the kidney and then split to enclose the adrenal gland. At the upper part of the adrenal gland, they again fuse to form the suspensory ligament of the adrenal gland and fuse with the diaphragmatic fascia. * Inferior attachment: The layers do not fuse. The posterior layer descends downwards and fuses with the iliac fascia. The anterior layer blends with the connective tissue of the iliac fossa. The anterior fascia and posterior fascia fuse laterally to form the lateroconal fascia which fuses with the

transverse fascia The transversalis fascia (or transverse fascia) is a thin aponeurotic membrane of the abdomen. It lies between the inner surface of the transverse abdominal muscle and the parietal peritoneum. It forms part of the general layer of fascia lining ...

. In front of the fascia anterior to the perinephric space (also known as Gerota's fascia) is the anterior pararenal space, which contains the

pancreas The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e. it has both an end ...

, ascending and descending colon, and second through fourth parts of the duodenum. The fascia posterior to the perinephric space was named

Zuckerkandl's fascia The renal fascia is a layer of connective tissue encapsulating the kidneys and the adrenal glands. It can be divided into: *The anterior renal fascia, also called Gerota's fascia (after Dimitrie Gerota) *The posterior renal fascia, also called Zuc ...

. Posterior to this lies the posterior paranephric space which does not contain any abdominal organs.

Posterior renal fascia

Zuckerkandl's fascia or ''fascia retrorenalis'' is a fibrous sheath covering the posterior side of the

. It constitutes the posterior layer of the renal fascia and was first described by

Emil Zuckerkandl Emil Zuckerkandl (1 September 1849 in Győr, Hungary – 28 May 1910 in Vienna, Austria) was a Hungarian anatomist. Biography Zuckerkandl was born in Győr on 1 September 1849, to a Jewish family. He had two brothers: the industrialist V ...

in 1883.

Additional images

Gray1126.png, Transverse section, showing the relations of the capsule of the kidney. Gray1125.png, Sagittal section through posterior abdominal wall, showing the relations of the capsule of the kidney.

References

External links

* - "Posterior Abdominal Wall: The Retroperitoneal Fat and Suprarenal Glands" * * {{Authority control Kidney anatomy Fascia