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| The kidneys are a pair or bean-shaped organs which are found in near the spine. The kidney’s primary function is to filter blood to remove wastes and toxins created by normal body activity. The kidneys also have the important functions of water and mineral level regulation in the body, control of the production of red blood cells by putting hormones in the blood, and regulation of blood pressure.
In order to perform its functions, the kidney gets a rich blood supply from the renal artery, and they filtered blood leaves the kidney via the renal vein. As the kidney is a filter system, it receives a very large blood supply. The high blood flow to the kidney is one of the challenges of kidney surgery. Anatomically, the kidneys are surrounded by a number of structures. Located just above each kidney are the adrenal glands. Additionally, the liver is located above the right kidney and the spleen is located above the left kidney. Behind the kidneys are the muscles of the back, and in front of the kidneys is the abdominal cavity which holds bowel structures such as the intestines. Just to the midline of the kidneys are large blood vessels that provide each kidney with blood. While most people have two functioning kidneys, only one normal kidney is required for normal functioning. Indeed, it is quite routine for family members to donate one of two normal kidneys for transplant into a relative. The kidney donor can then live a normal life without restrictions or limitations. Each kidney is made up of approximately one million small functioning units known as nephrons. Thus, when referring to surgeries in which only part of a cancer ridden kidney is removed, physicians use the term “nephron sparing surgery.” Open and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy as well as kidney ablative procedures (procedure that destroy the cancer without cutting it out) are different types of nephron sparing procedures to treat kidney cancer. The kidneys filter the blood and produce urine. The urine flows out of the kidney and into a tube called the ureter. The ureter carries the urine from the kidney which is high in the back down to the bladder where the urine collects. The function of the kidney can be adversely affected by many disease processes which can damage the kidney. High blood pressure and diabetes are two diseases that over long periods of time result in diminished kidney functioning. While the kidneys may appear grossly normal, systemic diseases can often result in poor overall kidney function.
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Copyright 2006 Kidney Cancer Institute |
Complementary Management Strategies | Biotechnology That is Used to Cure Kidney Cancer
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