🥇 GLÁNDULAS SUPRARRENALES. Anatomía, ¡Fácil Explicación!

Adrenal Glands: Anatomy and Physiology

Introduction to Adrenal Glands

• The adrenal glands, part of both the endocrine and nervous systems, have significant physiological roles.

• Understanding their function is crucial for studying physiology; they are vital for life.

Location and Structure

• Adrenal glands are paired structures typically located above the kidneys but can vary in position across different species.

• Each gland weighs approximately 3 to 6 grams, measuring about 3 cm in length and up to 2.5 cm in width.

• The anteroposterior diameter is small, often less than a centimeter (around 0.8 cm).

Anatomical Features

• The outer layer of each adrenal gland is covered by an adrenal capsule that fuses with the kidney capsule.

• They produce hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and norepinephrine; removal surgery is termed adrenalectomy.

Relationships with Surrounding Structures

• The right adrenal gland is positioned within the renal cell, surrounded by renal fascia and perinephric fat.

• Each gland has a base resting on the upper pole of the kidney; its vertex may vary in shape (pointed, bifid, or blunt).

Surface Relations

• The anterior face of the left adrenal gland relates closely to several organs including the spleen, pancreas, stomach, liver, duodenum, and inferior vena cava.

• This anterior surface features an area known as the bare area of the liver which comes into contact with it.

Additional Anatomical Context

• The left adrenal gland's anterior face also interacts with surrounding structures like diaphragm pillars and ribs (11th and 12th).

Adrenal Gland Anatomy and Physiology

Overview of the Adrenal Gland Location

• The adrenal gland is located in the pleural space, specifically at the diaphragmatic cost recess, positioned posteriorly to both the eleventh and twelfth ribs.

• It has a close anterior relationship with the liver's bare area; between them lies the hepatorenal bursa, part of the subhepatic space.

Structural Features of the Adrenal Gland

• The adrenal gland has distinct anatomical features: a base, vertex, faces, and edges. The internal edge on the left relates to the abdominal aorta while on the right it connects to both inferior vena cava and duodenum.

Blood Supply to the Adrenal Gland

• The adrenal gland consists of an outer capsule, an external cortex (yellowish due to cholesterol), and a medulla (pinkish), which is associated with nervous system functions.

• Endocrine glands like adrenal glands require rich blood supply for hormone secretion; hence they are densely irrigated.

Arterial Supply Breakdown

• Each adrenal gland receives blood from three groups of arteries:

• Superior adrenal arteries (branches from inferior diaphragmatic artery).

• Middle adrenal artery (direct branch from aorta).

• Inferior adrenal artery (branching directly from renal artery).

Venous Drainage Mechanism