Renal Artery
Artery serving the kidney
The renal artery is a large blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the kidneys. It arises from the abdominal aorta, which is the major artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, and typically divides into several smaller branches as it approaches the kidneys. The renal artery delivers blood to the renal arteries that enter the renal hilum and branch repeatedly to supply each lobe of the kidney. The renal artery is unique in that it carries approximately 20% of the total blood flow from the heart despite representing only 0.25% of the body’s total arterial blood volume. This high blood flow is necessary to support the kidney’s role in filtering waste products and excess fluid from the blood, regulating blood pressure, and producing hormones involved in red blood cell production. Blockage or narrowing of the renal artery, usually due to atherosclerosis, can lead to a decrease in blood flow to the kidney and result in serious complications such as hypertension, renal failure, and stroke.
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