Avascular plane of Brodel

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 23 Jan 2019

The avascular plane of Brodel is the section of renal parenchyma between 2/3 anterior and 1/3 posterior kidney on the cross-section that is relatively avascular. The reason for its relative avascularity is that it represents the plane where the anterior and posterior segmental renal artery branches meet.

It is located just posterior to the lateral convex border of the kidney and permits a relatively safe access route to the pelvicalyceal system for nephrostomy insertion.

History and etymology

Paul Heinrich Max Brödel (1870–1941) was a masterful American-German medical artist, deservedly remembered as the founder of the department of medical illustration at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. However he was also a renowned anatomist, publishing extensively on renal structure and creating a surgical technique known as the Brödel suture, employed in nephropexy 2.

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