Abstract
The pancake kidney (PK) is a rare type of renal anomaly in which both kidneys completely fuse without an isthmus. In the previous reports, PKs have double ureters and are located in the pelvic cavity. We encountered a rare case of PK with a single ureter, which is located in the left retroperitoneal space, in a 95-year-old female cadaver, which was detected during a dissection course. In our case, the major calyces joined to form a single renal pelvis, which continued as a single ureter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on PK with a single ureter that is located not in the pelvic cavity but in the retroperitoneal space. The knowledge of such anomalous presentation is important to avoid any complications during retroperitoneal surgery.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Mr. Kazuto Arimura, Mr. Junji Goto, Ms. Kaori Hasegawa, and Ms. Yoshiko Kunita for their excellent secretarial and technical assistance.
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In this study, we examined a cadaver donated for medical research according to Japanese law (Act No. 56 of 1983). We require the consent for donation from the donor and their family during their life. Following the guidelines of the Japanese Association of Anatomists (item 4. 5), a rare case encountered during a routine dissection class does not need to obtain a statement on ethics approval.
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Horai, K., Naito, M., Yakura, T. et al. A case of pancake kidney with a single ureter in the retroperitoneal space. Anat Sci Int 93, 563–565 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-018-0442-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-018-0442-1