Kidney Anatomy

"The kidneys lie on either side of the spine in the retroperitoneal space behind the main body cavity that contains the intestines. The kidneys are well protected by muscle, fat, and the lower ribs. They are roughly the size of your fist, and the male kidney is typically a bit larger than the female kidney. The kidneys are well vascularized, receiving about 25 percent of the cardiac output at rest. Figure 2.23 The Kidneys. The kidneys, as viewed from the back of the body, are slightly protected by the ribs and are surrounded by fat for protection. The effects of failure of parts of the urinary system may range from inconvenient, such as incontinence, to fatal, such as loss of filtration and many other functions."