The inferior suprarenal artery is a paired artery that supplies 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 ...

. It usually originates at the trunk of the

renal artery The renal arteries are paired arteries that supply the kidneys with blood. Each is directed across the crus of the diaphragm, so as to form nearly a right angle. The renal arteries carry a large portion of total blood flow to the kidneys. Up to a ...

before its terminal division, but with many common variations. It supplies the

parenchyma, the

ureter The ureters are tubes made of smooth muscle that propel urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. In a human adult, the ureters are usually long and around in diameter. The ureter is lined by urothelial cells, a type of transitional epit ...

, and the surrounding cellular tissue and muscles.

Structure

The inferior suprarenal artery usually originates at the trunk of the

. This is usually on its superior surface before its terminal division. It enters the parenchyma of the

Variations

Variations in the interior suprarenal artery are common. It usually originates from the

before its final divisions, but may also originate as a final division or after the final divisions. More rarely, it may originate directly from the

aorta The aorta ( ) is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits into two smaller arteries (the common iliac arteries). The aorta distributes ...

. It may give off a small branch to 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 ...

. There may be two or three inferior suprarenal arteries in some people. Its diameter changes significantly with age.

Function

The inferior suprarenal artery supplies the

(suprarenal gland). They also supply the

and some surrounding tissue and

skeletal muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of muscl ...

Clinical significance

The inferior suprarenal artery may be affected by an

aneurysm An aneurysm is an outward bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms may be a result of a hereditary condition or an acquired disease. Aneurysms can also be a nidus (s ...

. It may be assessed using

Doppler ultrasound Doppler ultrasonography is medical ultrasonography that employs the Doppler effect to perform imaging of the movement of tissues and body fluids (usually blood), and their relative velocity to the probe. By calculating the frequency shift of ...

History

The inferior suprarenal artery may also be known as the inferior adrenal artery.

References

External links

* – "The suprarental glands. Blood supply to the suprarenal glands." * – "Posterior Abdominal Wall: Blood Supply to the Suprarenal Glands" * Photo of model at Waynesburg College
circulation/leftinferiorsuprarenalartery
' {{Authority control Arteries of the abdomen Adrenal gland