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Horseshoe kidney: a review of anatomy and pathology

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Abstract

Horseshoe kidney (HSK) is the most common renal fusion, which is characterized by three anatomic anomalies: ectopia, malrotation and vascular changes. Patients with HSK are prone to a variety of complications, genitourinary and non-genitourinary. In this paper, the anatomy of HSK is delineated with a great emphasis on its blood supply. After reviewing the literature, the arterial supply patterns found by each author were categorized according to the classification system proposed by Graves. The majority of HSKs were found to be supplied by renal arteries derived from the abdominal aorta below the isthmus or by vessels originating from the common iliac arteries. In addition, the abnormalities associated with HSK are highlighted and classified in anatomical variations, congenital anomalies as well as in pathologic conditions related to HSK.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the surgeon Dr. Spyros Delis and the interventional radiologists Dr. Petros Maniatis and Dimitrios Fagrezos for their technical assistance with the imaging of the horseshoe kidney.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Plateia Ippodromiou 17, 54621, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Konstantinos Natsis

  2. Department of Anatomy, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, M. Asias 75, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Maria Piagkou, Antonia Skotsimara, Vassilis Protogerou & Panagiotis Skandalakis

  3. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Circular Rd, N. Efkarpia, 564 29, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Ioannis Tsitouridis

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  1. Konstantinos Natsis
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  2. Maria Piagkou
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Correspondence to Maria Piagkou.

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Natsis, K., Piagkou, M., Skotsimara, A. et al. Horseshoe kidney: a review of anatomy and pathology. Surg Radiol Anat 36, 517–526 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1229-7

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