How many kidneys does a person have?

Normal people have two kidneys, which are the most important detoxification organs. If there are some lesions in the kidneys, it will affect other organs and tissues in the body, and eventually cause systemic symptoms. Therefore, we must pay attention to nourishing the kidneys, especially male friends are more likely to suffer from kidney disease than female friends. Once it occurs, it will not only affect your daily life, but also cause sexual dysfunction.

The kidney is an organ of vertebrates and part of the urinary system. It is responsible for filtering impurities in the blood, maintaining the balance of body fluids and electrolytes, and finally producing urine to be excreted from the body through the urethra. It also has endocrine functions to regulate blood pressure. In the human body, normal adults have two kidneys, located behind the waist on both sides. The enzymes unique to the kidneys are glycerol kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, which are very important enzymes.

The position of the kidneys: The right renal hilum is aligned with the transverse process of the second lumbar vertebra, and the left one is aligned with the transverse process of the first lumbar vertebra. The right kidney is slightly lower than the left kidney by 1-2 cm due to the relationship with the liver. The normal up and down movement of the kidney is within the range of 1-2 cm. The kidneys are below the diaphragm. During physical examination, except for the lower pole of the right kidney which can be palpated at the lower edge of the ribs, the left kidney is difficult to palpate.

The kidneys are located on both sides of the spine, close to the posterior abdominal wall, and behind the peritoneum. The upper end of the left kidney is level with the lower edge of the 11th thoracic vertebra, and the lower end is level with the lower edge of the 2nd lumbar vertebra. The right kidney is half a vertebra lower than the left kidney. The 12th rib on the left side passes obliquely through the middle part of the back of the left kidney, and the 12th rib on the right side passes obliquely through the upper part of the back of the right kidney.

Surface projection of the renal hilum: on the anterior abdominal wall, it is located at the front end of the 9th rib; on the posterior abdominal wall, it is located at the angle between the lower edge of the 12th rib and the outer edge of the erector spinae muscle. This angle is called the renal angle or dorsal auxiliary angle. When the kidney is diseased, there is often tenderness or percussion pain in this area. Surface projection of the kidney: draw two vertical lines at 2.5cm and 7.5-8.5cm on both sides of the posterior midline, and draw a horizontal line through the spinous processes of the 11th thoracic vertebra and the 3rd lumbar vertebra. The kidney is located within the two quadrilaterals formed by these vertical and horizontal marking lines.

Abnormal symptoms such as pain within this range often indicate kidney disease. The position of the kidney may vary. If it is located in the pelvic cavity or iliac fossa, it is a low-positioned kidney; if it moves across the midline to the opposite side, it is a crossed ectopic kidney. Abnormal kidney position is relatively rare. When diagnosing abdominal masses, care should be taken to differentiate them from tumors.