Gross Anatomical Dissection of a Horseshoe Kidney: The Eighth Specimen in Our Medical School

Abstract

Horseshoe kidney is a known congenital renal anomaly. During a gross anatomy dissection course for students in 2014, a horseshoe kidney was found in an 80-year-old female. The isthmus was formed by the fusion of the right and left kidneys at their lower poles and resulted in a U-shaped kidney. Both sides of the renal hilum opened ventrally. Four surplus renal arteries entered the horseshoe kidney. The first surplus renal artery arose from the right side of the abdominal aorta, and entered the lower part of the renal hilum. The second surplus artery arose from the ventral side of the abdominal aorta, and entered the left inferior part of the left renal hilum.The third surplus artery also arose from the ventral side of the abdominal aorta and entered the inferior border of the left part of the isthmus. The fourth surplus artery arose from the bifurcation of the common iliac arteries and distributed to the inferior border of the middle of the isthmus. One surplus renal vein arose from the lower border of the middle of the isthmus, descended dorsally to the abdominal aorta and the right common iliac artery, and then entered the upper wall of the left common iliac vein. The isthmus was made up of renal parenchymal structures. These findings will be useful as regards research and surgery on the horseshoe kidney. This was the eighth case of horseshoe kidney in our laboratory.