Paraureteral diverticula. Associated renal morphology and embryogenesis

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Embryology
• Anatomy

Background:

• Paraureteric diverticula are congenital anomalies.
• Their relationship with ureteric orifices and kidney morphology is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between paraureteric diverticula, ureteric orifice location, and renal morphology.
• To examine the fascial arrangements of the terminal ureter and diverticula to infer embryologic origins.

Main Methods:

• Examination of 25 single-system and 3 duplex systems with paraureteric diverticula.
• Analysis of ureteric orifice position relative to the diverticulum.
• Histological examination of fascial investments.

Main Results:

• Increased kidney abnormality correlated with more lateral ureteric orifice position within the diverticulum.
• A single fascial investment suggested a common embryologic origin when the ureter opened entirely within the diverticulum.
• Separate fascial investments indicated different etiologies for diverticula with separate or adjacent ureteric orifices.

Conclusions:

• Renal morphology is influenced by ureteric orifice position within paraureteric diverticula.
• Proposed terminology: 'vesical hiatal diverticula' for those near the orifice, 'paraureteral' for those engulfing the orifice, and 'periureteral' for those with separate orifices.