RENAL FASCIA

Abstract

These investigations indicate that the anterior layer of the renal fascia continues across the midline of the body in front of the aorta and inferior vena cava to become continuous with a similar layer on the opposite side of the body. The posterior layer of the renal fascia blends with the fascia covering the psoas major especially at the medial and lateral edges of this muscle. But, in addition to these two layers, there is also a deeper stratum connecting the anterior and posterior layers around the medial border of the kidney, and this deeper stratum is pierced by the renal vessels and ureter. At the upper pole and lateral border of the kidney, the anterior and posterior layers of the fascia fuse; at the lower pole they also fuse, but much more loosely than in the other locations. Incidentally, the perirenal veins maybe sufficiently large to merit attention during operations on the kidney.