The pattern of congenital renal anomalies associated with neural-tube defects

This is a retrospective study of 190 patients with neural-tube defects for whom there were precise data, both on sensory levels (to pin-prick) and on the presence or absence of congenital renal anomalies. There were 17 renal anomalies, of which three were renal agenesis, five horseshoe kidneys, eight ureteral duplications and one simple ureterocele. There was a consistent pattern of congenital renal anomalies in relation to the extent of the neurological lesion, as measured by the sensory level. Renal agenesis was associated with a sensory level in the dermatomes T5 to T8, horseshoe kidneys with a T9 to L1 level and ureteral duplications predominantly with a sensory level in the sacral dermatomes.