Renal Plexus

plexus renalis

The renal plexus is a network of autonomic nerves wrapped around each renal artery. It receives sympathetic fibres from the coeliac plexus, the aorticorenal ganglion, the abdominal aortic plexus and the lesser, least and first lumbar splanchnic nerves, plus some vagal fibres. Its fibres follow the artery into the kidney and also continue to the ureter and gonadal plexus.

Anatomical Data

Course & Distribution

Origin	Branches of the coeliac plexus, aorticorenal ganglion and abdominal aortic plexus, the lesser and least splanchnic nerves, the first lumbar splanchnic nerve and vagal fibres
Course	Surrounds the renal artery and follows its branches into the renal hilum, with small renal ganglia along its course and extensions to the ureteric and gonadal plexuses
Motor	Renal blood vessels, controlling renal blood flow (sympathetic) Juxtaglomerular cells, stimulating renin release (sympathetic) Renal tubules, increasing sodium reabsorption (sympathetic)
Sensory	Visceral pain from the kidney, renal pelvis and upper ureter, carried to about T10-L1

Clinical Relevance

Clinical Notes

Sympathetic nerves of the renal plexus raise blood pressure by narrowing renal vessels, promoting renin release and increasing sodium reabsorption. Catheter-based renal denervation, which ablates these nerves through the renal artery wall, is used in selected patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Pain fibres from the kidney and upper ureter travel with the plexus to roughly the T10-L1 segments, so stone pain is felt in the loin and radiates toward the groin.

Pathology

Common Injuries & Conditions

Renal Colic

Stretching of the renal pelvis or ureter by a stone stimulates pain fibres running with the renal plexus, producing severe waves of loin pain radiating to the groin, often with nausea from shared autonomic pathways.

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