Introduction

Most of us have two kidneys that are located on either side of the spine. The formation of these kidneys happens inside the womb of a mother. During the formation of a baby in the uterus, the kidneys are first formed in the abdominal area and they gradually drift upwards to reach the final position on either side of the spine, as the baby grows in the womb. But in some cases, this process might become defective, leading instead to the formation of a single fused kidney in the shape of a horseshoe. This condition is called horseshoe kidney disease. The phenomenon is relatively rare, that affects 0.2 % of children globally and is more seen in male children than in female children. To understand how the defect affects you, it is imperative to know the function of kidneys. Kidneys, two ureters, a bladder and a urethra together comprise of an excretory system in human anatomy. The job of your kidneys is to filter out waste from the blood supplied to it and to excrete it from the body. Every day, your kidneys process around 140 litres of blood, to produce around a litre of urine!

The waste that gets collected in the kidneys drops down to the bladder through the ureters and is flushed out through the urethra. In short, the function of the kidneys is to remove wastes in the form of urine, balance the levels of fluids, regulate blood pressure, control the count of red blood corpuscles, and balance the levels of electrolytes of Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and other acids.

Symptoms

• Urinary tract infections
• Pain in the belly and abdomen
• Nausea
• Kidney stones
• Hematuria
• Flank pain

Causes

The causes for the formation of horseshoe kidney are unknown because the formation is during the organogenesis stage of development of a baby in the womb.

Risk factors

• Problems in the cardiovascular system
• Problems in central nervous system
• Issues with genitourinary system
• Hydronephrosis
• Kidney stones
• Wilm’s tumor
• Renal cancer
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Spina bifida

Diagnosis

• Blood tests
• Magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Ultrasound
• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
• Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG)

Treatment

• Antibiotics
• Surgical intervention

Prevention

Because the defect is congenital, there could be nothing that you do, to prevent the formation of horseshoe kidney.

Conclusion

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Media Contact:

John Robert                               
Assistant Managing Editor

Journal of Kidney Treatment and Diagnosis