Left renal artery

Arteria renalis sinistra

CardiovascularBlood vesselsAbdomenLeft side

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What it is
Leaves the side of the aorta at L1–L2 just below the superior mesenteric artery and runs to the left, behind the left renal vein, dividing near the hilum into segmental arteries.
Function
Supplies the kidney (plus the adrenal gland and ureter); the kidneys receive ~20% of the cardiac output.
Size
~5–6 mm diameter; ~4–6 cm long.
Clinical note
About 25–30% of people have an extra (accessory) renal artery; renal artery narrowing is a curable cause of high blood pressure.

Nearby cardiovascular structures Abdominal aorta, Coeliac trunk, Common hepatic artery, Inferior mesenteric artery, Left renal vein, Right renal artery, Right renal vein, Splenic artery, Splenic vein, Superior mesenteric artery