Renal vein - wikipedia Renal vein Renal vein The anterior surfaces of the kidneys, showing the areas of contact of neighboring viscera. 1. Renal pyramid 2. Interlobular artery 3. Renal artery 4. Renal vein 5. Renal hilum 6. Renal pelvis 7. Ureter 8. Minor calyx 9. Renal capsule 10. Inferior renal capsule 11. Superior renal capsule 12. Interlobar vein 13. Nephron 14. Renal sinus 15. Major calyx 16. Renal papilla 17. Renal column Details Drains from kidney Source interlobar veins Drains to inferior vena cava Artery Renal artery Identifiers Latin venae renales MeSH D012082 TA A12. 3.09. 009 FMA 14334 70899, 14334 Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) The renal veins are veins that drain the kidney. They connect the kidney to the inferior vena cava. They carry the blood filtered by the kidney. Contents 1 Structure 1.1 Variation 2 Clinical significance 3 Additional images 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Structure There is one vein per kidney, that divides into 4 divisions upon entering the kidney : the anterior branch which receives blood from the anterior portion of the kidney and, the posterior branch which receives blood from the posterior portion. Because the inferior vena cava is on the right half of the body, the left renal vein is generally the longer of the two. Because the inferior vena cava is not laterally symmetrical, the left renal vein often receives the following veins : left inferior phrenic vein left suprarenal vein left gonadal vein ( left testicular vein in males, left ovarian vein in females ) left 2nd lumbar vein This is in contrast to the right side of the body, where these veins drain directly into the IVC. Often, each renal vein will have a branch that receives blood from the ureter. Variation It is usually singular to each kidney, except in the condition `` multiple renal veins ''. In some people the left renal vein passes behind the abdominal aorta instead of in front of it, this is termed a retroaortic left renal vein, which is also known as `` The Vein of Schnitker. '' If there is both a vein passing in front of and one behind the aorta this is called a circumaortic renal vein. Clinical significance Diseases associated with the renal vein include renal vein thrombosis ( RVT ) and nutcracker syndrome ( renal vein entrapment syndrome ). Additional images 3D - rendered computed tomography, showing one renal vein ( in red color ) for each kidney Frontal section through the kidney Diagram showing completion of development of the parietal veins. The venæ cavæ and azygos veins, with their tributaries. Renal vein Human kidneys viewed from behind with spine removed. Kidney Renal vein Renal vein Renal vein See also This article uses anatomical terminology ; for an overview, see Anatomical terminology. renal physiology Nutcracker Syndrome References Jump up ^ Dissector Answers - Kidney & Retroperitoneum Archived 2007 - 11 - 09 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Multiple renal veins ''. Medcyclopaedia. GE. Archived from the original on 2012 - 02 - 05. External links Anatomy figure : 40 : 06 - 05 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - `` Retroperitoneal structures on the posterior abdominal wall. '' Veins of the abdomen and pelvis To azygos system ascending lumbar subcostal IVC ( Systemic ) To IVC or left renal vein inferior phrenic hepatic central veins of liver liver sinusoid suprarenal renal gonadal ovarian ♀ / testicular ♂ pampiniform plexus ♂ lumbar common iliac Common iliac Unpaired median sacral vein Internal iliac posterior : iliolumbar superior gluteal lateral sacral anterior : inferior gluteal obturator uterine ♀ uterine plexus ♀ vesical vesical plexus prostatic plexus ♂ deep of penis ♂ / clitoris ♀ posterior scrotal ♂ / labial ♀ vaginal plexus / vein ♀ middle rectal internal pudendal inferior rectal bulb of penis ♂ / vestibule ♀ rectal plexus External iliac inferior epigastric deep circumflex iliac vein Portal vein ( Portal ) Splenic short gastric left gastroepiploic pancreatic inferior mesenteric superior rectal left colic Superior mesenteric right gastroepiploic pancreaticoduodenal jejunal ileal middle colic right colic ileocolic appendicular Direct cystic left gastric / esophageal right gastric paraumbilical Anatomy of the urinary system Kidneys Layers Fascia Capsule Cortex column Medulla sinus pyramids medullary interstitium Lobe Cortical lobule Medullary ray Nephron Circulation Arteries Renal artery segmental interlobar arcuate interlobular afferent Veins Renal vein Peritubular capillaries Vasa recta arcuate interlobar efferent Nephron Renal corpuscle Glomerulus Bowman 's capsule Glomerular basement membrane Podocyte Filtration slits Mesangium Intraglomerular mesangial cell Renal tubule Proximal convoluted tubule Loop of Henle Descending Thin ascending Thick ascending Distal convoluted tubule Connecting tubule Collecting ducts Tubular fluid Renal papilla Minor calyx Major calyx Renal pelvis Juxtaglomerular apparatus Macula densa Juxtaglomerular cells Mesangium Extraglomerular mesangial cell Ureters Ureteropelvic junction Bladder Apex Uvula Neck Median umbilical ligament Muscular layer Trigone Detrusor Mucosa Submucosa Urethra Urethral sphincters External sphincter male female Internal sphincter Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Renal_vein&oldid=841308637 '' Categories : Veins of the torso Hidden categories : Pages with unresolved properties Webarchive template wayback links Anatomy NAV infobox with use of other NAV parameters Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Suomi Svenska తెలుగు 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 15 May 2018, at 01 : 54. 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Question: where does blood flow from the renal veins
Answer: the inferior vena cava