What are the sympathetic levels of the upper ureters?

What are the sympathetic levels of the upper ureters?

• A. T12-L1
• B. T10-11
• C. T5-T9
• D. L2-L4

Answer: (B)

The upper ureter is supplied sympathetically by fibers that travel with the lesser thoracic splanchnic nerves, forming part of the renal (or aorticorenal) plexus around the kidney and upper ureter. These fibers originate at roughly T10–T11, so the sympathetic input to the upper part of the ureter corresponds to T10–T11. This aligns with how pain from the upper ureter is referred to the T10–T11 dermatomes. As you move lower along the ureter, different levels contribute (for example, middle segments around T12–L1 and lower segments around L1–L2), which is why the specified range for the upper ureter is T10–T11.

The upper ureter is supplied sympathetically by fibers that travel with the lesser thoracic splanchnic nerves, forming part of the renal (or aorticorenal) plexus around the kidney and upper ureter. These fibers originate at roughly T10–T11, so the sympathetic input to the upper part of the ureter corresponds to T10–T11. This aligns with how pain from the upper ureter is referred to the T10–T11 dermatomes. As you move lower along the ureter, different levels contribute (for example, middle segments around T12–L1 and lower segments around L1–L2), which is why the specified range for the upper ureter is T10–T11.