Horseshoe Kidney Protection with Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate Solution during Surgical Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

CASE REPORT: We report an unusual case of a 65-year-old male patient with horseshoe kidney, who underwent a successful open repair for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The accessory renal arteries were perfused with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution (Custodiol®; Dr. Franz-Kohler Chemie GmbH, Bensheim, Germany) during the vascular reconstruction. There were no creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) modifications in the postoperative time. In the literature, only two cases of Custodiol solution for kidney protection during aortic surgery are reported. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Custodiol perfusion for horseshoe kidney protection. DISCUSSION: The concomitant presence of horseshoe kidney and an AAA requires a specific preoperative planning. This is necessary to define the appropriate surgical procedure and strategy. The onset of acute kidney injury is an aspect that must always be taken into consideration during aortic surgery, even more in the case we are reporting. Indeed, despite the complexity of the kidney anatomy, the use of Custodiol solution allowed a proper maintenance of the perioperative renal function, as shown by the postoperative levels of creatinine and eGFR. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative planning and organ preservation are crucial in AAA open repair, especially in the presence of congenital anomalies such as horseshoe kidney.

Crossed-fused renal ectopia with renal calculi: Two case reports and a review of the literature.

RATIONALE: Crossed renal ectopia (CRE) is a rare congenital anomaly that is frequently associated with gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, genital and bone malformations. To the best of our knowledge, only 35 cases of crossed renal ectopia involving calculi and 30 cases of CRE associated with renal carcinoma have been reported to date. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here, we present 2 cases of crossed renal ectopia. A 59-year-old woman with diabetes presented to our hospital with abdominal pain. The second patient was a 24-year-old woman who complained with abdominal pain with a duration of 1 day. DIAGNOSES: On the basis of abdominal ultrasonography, we suspected a solitary kidney both in the two patients. Combined with retrograde pyelography and 3D computed tomography, case 1 was diagnosed as an S-shaped right-to-left crossed-fused ectopic kidney with many stones in the left (normal) renal pelvis and case 2 was confirmed to have lump right-to-left crossed-fused renal ectopia with two 3-mm stones in the renal pelvis of the 2 kidneys. INTERVENTIONS: Case 1 underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy while case 2 refused to undergo surgery and underwent conservative treatment for pain relief. OUTCOMES: Two patients have been followed up and have no stones recurrence. LESSONS: Crossed fused renal ectopia is easily misdiagnosed as a solitary kidney. CRE is so rare that the recognition of the disease needs to be improved and effective treatment should be taken timely. According to the two cases and literature review, minimally invasive surgery has become increasingly common to treat CRE with stones and carcinoma.

EVAR Approach for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Horseshoe Kidney: A Multicenter Experience.

BACKGROUND: Horseshoe kidney is a congenital abnormality, with an incidence of 0.25% of the total population. Only 0.12% of patients who undergo an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair might also have a coexisting horseshoe kidney. We present a series of 10 cases auspiciously treated with an endovascular approach along with their respective patient evolutions. A review of the literature is also presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records (January 2004-December 2013) of 10 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms and horseshoe kidney treated with endovascular repair was done. Patients were treated at 6 different centers in 3 different countries. Demographics, clinical status, medical history, anatomical morphology of the aneurysms and kidneys, as well as surgical outcomes were all analyzed. RESULTS: The median age was 67.5 years (range 47-81), and the median aortic aneurysmal diameter was 57 mm (49-81 mm). A total of 35 arteries provided renal perfusion. There were 13 right renal arteries and 13 left renal arteries, all successfully preserved, with 9 isthmus arteries covered. Median hospital stay consisted of 3.5 days (1-14 days). All aortic aneurysms were successfully excluded with no endoleaks, hematomas, wound infections, or renal failure. During a median follow-up of 7 years, 3 patients died of myocardial infarction 7 years after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), and the other 7 patients are doing well, with a median aneurysm reduction size sac of 16.5 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular repair is a safe and efficient endovascular option for the treatment of patients presenting concomitant aortic aneurysm and horseshoe kidney, with excellent short- and medium-term outcomes. To our knowledge, our study represents the largest series of cases with horseshoe kidney successfully treated via EVAR without significant complications.

Management and therapeutic options for abdominal aortic aneurysm coexistent with horseshoe kidney.

BACKGROUND: Horseshoe kidney (HSK), referring to the abnormal fusion of the lower renal poles, represents one of the most common renal anomalies. One of its most significant features is the anomalous vasculature, with a number of accessory renal arteries originating from the aorta, the mesenteric arteries, and even the iliac arteries supplying both the renal kidneys and the renal isthmus. METHODS: A literature review was performed to identify and to present the most recent data regarding classification and imaging evaluation of HSK concomitant with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of both open surgical and endovascular repair is made for management of this rare medical condition. RESULTS: The anomalous renal vasculature of HSK has led to the introduction of a number of classification systems, with Eisendrath's being currently the most commonly used. The concomitant presence of HSK in patients suffering from AAA plays a major role in preoperative planning, with a number of factors taken into consideration in deciding on either an open repair or an endovascular approach. Open repair requires careful decision-making between a transperitoneal and a left retroperitoneal approach to reach the aneurysm sac. In addition, technical points include the decision to divide the renal isthmus or not and the necessity of salvage or reimplantation of anomalous renal vessels. On the other hand, an endovascular approach requires careful preoperative imaging and evaluation of both the renal function and vasculature to decide on catheterization and salvage of accessory renal arteries or their exclusion. CONCLUSIONS: The concomitant presence of AAA and HSK poses a challenge for the modern vascular surgeon, who must possess all required technical skills-both endovascular and open repair-to deal accordingly with this rarely encountered medical condition. Preoperative determination of the perfusion pattern is necessary for the treatment strategy.

Management of Aortoiliac Aneurysms with Atypical Renal Artery Anatomy.

BACKGROUND: Renal artery anomalies occur at a rate of 1-2% and present a challenge to vascular surgeons performing aortic surgery. We describe adjuncts used to manage such anatomic variants. METHODS: A single surgeon registry of all abdominal aortic aneurysms repaired in an academic center was retrospectively reviewed. Patients with prior renal transplants, congenital pelvic kidneys, or horseshoe kidneys were included. Open repair was reserved for patients with no endovascular or hybrid repair options. RESULTS: Over an 8-year period, 18 patients were identified (renal transplant n = 9, horseshoe kidney n = 3, congenital pelvic kidney n = 6). All transplant patients were treated with endovascular repair. Four required cross-femoral bypasses, 1 for retrograde allograft perfusion after aorto-uni-iliac (AUI) procedure to the contralateral external iliac artery and 3 for contralateral limb perfusion after endograft extension into iliac artery ipsilateral to allograft. Three transplant patients required carotid access due to severe iliofemoral occlusive disease or allograft origin off the internal iliac artery. Two horseshoe kidney patients underwent open repair with direct reimplantation of accessory renal arteries, whereas 1 underwent endovascular repair with exclusion of an isthmus branch. Of the congenital single/pelvic kidney cohort, 2 underwent open repair with renal reimplantation, 2 underwent endovascular aneurysm repair, 1 was treated with AUI and cross-femoral bypass, and one was treated with a staged iliorenal bypass and subsequent fenestrated endovascular repair. Intravascular ultrasound was used to minimize contrast use in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (Cr > 1.5 mg/dL, n = 6). Over a mean follow-up of 31 months (range, 1-110), there were no aortic deaths or reintervention, no decline in renal function (measured by serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate), and 100% patency of the preserved renal arteries. CONCLUSIONS: Atypical renal anatomy should not preclude repair of aortic aneurysms. Repair of such aneurysms is safe and achieves good long-term outcomes with the use of the described techniques.

Aspiration Thrombectomy of Acute Atrial Fibrillation-related Renal Artery Thromboembolism in a Patient with Horseshoe Kidney.

BACKGROUND: Acute arterial thromboembolism to the renal arteries can be treated promptly by local thrombolysis, conventional surgical thrombectomy, or anticoagulation. METHODS: We report a patient who presented with acute loin pain as a result of atrial fibrillation-related thromboembolism to the right renal artery supplying his horseshoe kidney. He was already on warfarin treatment with international normalized ratio of 1.7 and had acute bleeding from malignant peptic ulcer disease, so thrombolysis was contraindicated. RESULTS: He underwent timely endovascular revascularization with aspiration thrombectomy, with good clinical and radiological consequence. He subsequently underwent curative partial gastrectomy and made a steady recovery. CONCLUSION: Early endovascular target-directed therapy such as intra-arterial thrombolysis and mechanical aspiration in combination with intravenous heparin therapy will result in renal salvage.

Glomerular filtration rate measured by (99m) Tc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging is significantly lower than that estimated by the CKD-EPI equation in horseshoe kidney patients.

AIM: Gate's glomerular filtration rate (gGFR) measured by (99m) Tc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging and estimated GFR (eGFR) estimated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation are two indexes used to evaluate renal function. However, little is known about whether gGFR can be used to accurately assess renal function in horseshoe kidney (HSK) patients with renal fusion anomalies. METHODS: Nineteen HSK patients (HSK group) diagnosed by renal imaging and 38 CKD patients with "normal kidney shape" (non-HSK group) matched to the HSK patients in terms of gender, age and biochemical indicators at Chinese PLA General Hospital were enrolled in this study. Gender, age, serum total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), gGFR and eGFR were recorded and analyzed using χ(2) test, t-test, and Wilcoxon test which was presented as median(IQR). RESULTS: (1) There were no significant differences in gender, age, TP, ALB, BUN, Scr, or eGFR between these two groups. (2) In HSK patients, the renogram showed abnormal renal axis with the lower poles orientated medially. The timed uptake curve showed that the isotope excretion in the HSK group was slower than that in the non-HSK group. (3) For all HSK patients, gGFR was significantly lower than eGFR (range -12.52 mL/min per 1.73m(2) to -93.18 mL/min per 1.73m(2) ). There was no significant difference in eGFR between the HSK [96.42 (36.02) mL/min per 1.73 m(2) ] and non-HSK groups [94.46 (33.00) mL/min per 1.73 m(2) ]. The gGFR of the HSK group [41.18 (16.60) mL/min per 1.73m(2) ] was much lower than that of the non-HSK group [86.42(26.40) mL/min per 1.73m(2) , P < 0.001] and the eGFR of the HSK group (P < 0.001). The gGFR and eGFR of the non-HSK group were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: gGFR measured by (99m) Tc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging is significantly lower than eGFR estimated by the CKD-EPI equation, which indicates that isotope renogram cannot accurately evaluate the GFR of HSK patients.