AN ANATOMICAL STUDY ON BLOOD SUPPLY OF URETER

Introduction: The ureter receives segmental arterial supply which varies along its course. The present study attempts to determine the blood supply of ureter and to understand the variation of supply to the ureter. Materials and methods: The ureteral vascular pattern was studied in 42 cadavers- 32 male and 10 female and also studied in 25 still born infants- 20 male and 5 female which were procured from the Department of Anatomy, Mamata medical college, khammam. Different types of injection methods were used to study the vascular pattern of ureter. Results: From the present study, on statistical analysation 98% of blood supply to ureter was through Renal and uterine arteries, 92% is through superior vesicle artery, 86% is by vaginal artery, 60% is by internal iliac, 52% by aortic, 44% by Gonadal, 36% by inferior vesical, 34% by common iliac, 16% by artery to vas, 14% by middle rectal and 12% is by capsular arteries. In this study the longitudinal vascular pattern of ureter is found to be 83.6%. Conclusion: It is observed from the study of vascular supply to ureter was significantly contributed by Renal arteries, uterine arteries, superior vesicle arteries and vaginal arteries. The present study also determines that Ureter at different age periods have the same sources of blood supply indicating that age has no effect on the vascularity and observed the vascular patterns of full time foetal and adult vascular patterns are the same. It is observed that the female ureter appears to have more liberal blood supply than in the male when the size of the arteries is taken into consideration.