A humpback kidney is usually seen in a person during a routine examination, as it does not always give any symptomatology. Treatment of pathology, if it does not cause anxiety, is also not required, but an accurate diagnosis is of great importance.
Humpbacked kidney - what does this mean?
Humpback kidney refers to the category of deformities of the kidney and is most often congenital, although the acquired change in the contours of the organ is also not uncommon. Externally, the humpbacked kidney looks like a local bulging of one of its outer edges, which initially can be taken by a specialist for tumor formation. But the true humpback kidney is not related to oncology and is only an individual feature of the structure of the urinary system. Another, less common name for pathology is the horseshoe kidney.
Acquired deformities of the kidneys, which also combine the term "humped kidney," may in fact have a different shape. The protrusion on the organ makes it look like a ball, an oval, a sickle, while the contour can be straight or wavy, the size of the kidney can be normal or enlarged.
Clinical manifestations of the disease are not always present: a person lives without knowing about the existing pathology.
In many children and adults, humpback kidney symptoms still occur, and it happens when there are such risk factors:
- Kidney abnormality or other abnormal location.
- Immobility of the organ due to the presence of fixing vessels.
- Growing of the kidneys among themselves.
- Disturbance of blood circulation along the arteries and veins of the kidney.
- Injury of the organ throughout life.
When compressing the vessels, nerves, or other organs of the retroperitoneal space and the abdominal cavity, pain and inflammation may occur, which causes various clinical manifestations. These are aching pains in the sides, in the abdomen, constipation, varicose veins of the legs, pain in the legs. In severe cases, the development of inflammatory and metabolic disorders is possible.
Causes of
More than 2/3 of humpback kidneys are caused by various disorders in the embryonic period( 3-10 weeks of gestation), including - with the participation of teratogenic factors during pregnancy. These include exposure to radiation and radiation, mother radiography, the taking of certain drugs, alcohol. There were no connections with the hereditary transmission of this disease.
Acquired kidney anomaly can come from such conditions and diseases:
- Spleen tumors with pressure on the kidney.
- Inflammatory processes in the organ.
- Tumor of the kidney and surrounding tissues.
- Tuberculosis of the urinary system.
Diagnostics
Usually pathology is revealed when the simplest, accessible method of instrumental diagnostics is performed - ultrasound. It is important to differentiate the humpbacked kidney with oncological diseases, as well as with a number of benign tumors. The main difference of the humpback kidney from oncology on ultrasound is the presence of intact renal parenchyma.
To completely exclude a malignant process, the patient is recommended to undergo a more accurate type of study:
- Computed tomography( CT) or MRI, including - with contrast.
- Radiography.
- Scintigraphy( radioisotope scanning).
These methods more clearly reflect the shape and structure of the kidney, the size of the pelvis, the structure of the ureters. In the presence of violations of the kidney and its vessels, it is recommended to perform urography, retrograde pyelography, arteriography. Doubtful cases for differentiation with tumors may require a kidney biopsy.
Treatment of
Many cases of humpbacked kidneys do not require treatment at all. Observation tactics are quite acceptable if the symptoms do not manifest themselves. But with the development of complications, including - compression of blood vessels or frequent inflammatory pathologies treatment becomes mandatory. The patient is prescribed antibiotic therapy, herbal preparations, diuretics, vitamins, fortifying agents, immunomodulators.
Also removal is necessary when compressing organs or vessels, especially the inferior vena cava.
Prognosis and possible complications of
In most cases complications of the humpback kidney become:
- Pyelonephritis;
- Glomerulonephritis;
- Urolithiasis;
- Hydronephrosis;
- Cysts.
Uncomplicated cases of pathology have a favorable prognosis. If complications are added, the prognosis depends on their frequency, severity, timeliness of the therapy.