Renal position and fusion anomalies

Objective: To analyse kidney position and fusion anomalies, as well as associated urinary tract and extra-renal pathologies in a cohort from a tertiary hospital.

Methods: The medical records of 84 children with renal ectopia (RE) and horseshoe kidney (HK) in our hospital from 1999 to 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Prenatal diagnosis was made in 53 patients (63.09%). Of the 84 patients surveyed 35 had unilateral simple renal ectopia (SRE), 1 had bilateral SRE; 2 had crossed renal ectopia (CRE) without fusion, 17 had CRE with fusion, and 29 had HK. Average age was 30 days at diagnosis (IQR: 0-12 months). In the individuals with renal ectopia (RE), the incidence of associated urinary tract pathologies was 20.23% in the ectopic kidney (EK) (17 out of 84) and 17.85% in the contralateral kidney (CK) (15 out of 84). The most frequent urological pathology was vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR), 4 individuals had multicystic dysplastic kidneys (MCDK). In 4 patients renal agenesis was detected in the CK. In patients with HK, the incidence of associated urinary tract pathologies was 16.66% (14 out of 84), and the most frequent associated urological anomaly was also VUR. Of the 84 patients 21(25.45%) had extra-renal pathology. Anomalies of the skeletal system were detected in 9/84(10.71%), genital anomalies 5/84 (5.95%), cardiac anomalies 3/84 (3.57%), and digestive disease 1/84 (1.19%). Facial malformations were noted in 3/84 patients (3.57%), endocrine disorders 2/84 (2.38%), and 8/84 children (9.52%) suffered from polymalformative syndrome. During follow-up, the most frequent complication of the urinary tract was infection, observed in 10/84 patients (11.91%).

Conclusions: When renal ectopia or horseshoe kidney is detected, associated renal and urinary anomalies and structural extra-renal malformations should be evaluated. Patients need long-term follow-up and should be examined regularly for potential complications.