Posterior Abdominal Wall, Kidneys

Lateral to the vertebral column find the kidneys and suprarenal glands (AKA adrenal glands). On the vertebral column, find the abdominal aorta and to the right. Running parallel to it is the inferior vena cava.

♂ Testicular arteries and veins run parallel and anterior to the ureters. The testicular arteries are very small and delicate. You can follow the testicular artery and vein superiorly from the inguinal ring→ abdominal aorta.

Right and left testicular arteries arise from the abdominal aorta at the level of L2 vertebrae. The left can arise slightly more superiorly on the aorta than the right. The origin of these arteries are inferior to the renal arteries.
The left testicular vein → left renal vein, and the right testicular vein → inferior vena cava.

♀ Ovarian artery and vein location is similar to the testicular arteries, but if you follow them inferiorly to they end in the pelvic cavity → crossing the external iliac vessels.

Left suprarenal vein and left testicular/ovarian vein are tributaries of the left renal vein found in above.
Left renal artery is posterior to the left renal vein, you can follow the left renal artery to the hilum of the kidney. Typically it divides to accessory renal arteries before entering the kidney.
Right renal artery can be found on the left anterior portion of the abdominal aorta if you move the IVC inferior and slightly to the right. It lies posteriorly to the right renal vein. The right renal pelvis lies posteriorly to the right renal artery. *The right renal artery is longer than the left renal artery.
Inferior phrenic artery arises from the aorta above the celiac trunk. It give rise to:

Superior suprarenal artery that supplies the inferior portion of the suprarenal glands.

Middle suprarenal artery arises from the aorta near the celiac trunk and supplies the lateral portion of the suprarenal gland.
Inferior suprarenal artery arises from the renal artery and supplies the posterior portion of the suprarenal gland.
Lumbar arteries supply the posterior abdominal wall.
Follow the abdominal aorta and the IVC inferiorly to their bifurcation point at the level of L4. Here they become the common iliac arteries and veins that branch off into the external and internal iliac arteries and veins. These vessels supply the pelvis.

Lumbar plexus is at the level of L1-L4. It is formed within the psoas major muscle and emerges from the lateral border of the muscle.

Genitofemoral nerve is found on the anterior surface of the psoas major muscle and divides just superior to the inguinal ligament.
Palpate rib 12 and look for the subcostal nerve 1 cm inferior to it.
Iliohypogastric nerves and ilioinguinal nerves can be found on the anterior surface of the quadratus lumborum muscle. They both arise at a common trunk, but the ilioinguinal nerve travels through the superficial inguinal ring.
Lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh passes deep to the inguinal ligament near the anterior surface of the iliac spine.
Femoral nerve lies on the lateral surface of the psoas major muscle, between it and the iliacus muscles → deep to the inguinal ligament → thigh.
Obturator nerve is at the medial surface of the psoas major muscle between it and the common iliac vessels. It will pass through the obturator foramen in the pelvis.
Lumbosacral trunk is a large nerve formed of ventral ramus of L4 and L5 → passes into pelvis → joins sacral plexus.

Sympathetic trunk in abdomen can be found at the crus of the diaphragm and psoas major muscle.
Lumbar splanchnic nerve passes anteriorly from the sympathetic trunk to the aortic autonomic plexus.

Right and left phrenic nerve innervate the diaphragm, after traveling inferiorly through the thorax.
Greater splanchnic nerve found in the thorax (anywhere from vertebra T5-T9 on both sides). Follow inferiorly to the superficial surface of the diaphragm.

Kiwi Med