In India, a 31-year-old man, who was being treated for a urinary tract infection, revealed that he had a rare “supernumerary kidney”.
The man went to the doctor after feeling pain on the right side of his lower back for five days, as well as a burning sensation when urinating and a fever of more than 39 degrees Celsius.
During a physical examination, doctors noticed that the man could feel the right side of his abdomen at the slightest touch. His urine was cloudy, but his heart rate, blood pressure and breathing were within normal range.
As the medical report in the magazine revealed Cureusblood tests showed that the man had high levels of leukocytes, white blood cells that fight infections. A urine culture identified a type of bacteria called Klebsiella pneumoniaewhich is often associated with urinary tract infections. These findings confirmed that the man had an active infection.
Furthermore, an ultrasound and a CT scan revealed something unexpected: a third kidney. He was fused with the man’s right kidneycreating a horseshoe shape.
As explained by , a supernumerary kidney is a congenital anomaly that is believed to arise during fetal development. It appears due to abnormal cell division in the cord that later forms the kidneys.
A supernumerary kidney can sometimes lead to kidney infections, but the condition does not always affect normal kidney function and may even go unnoticed.
In this case, the patient’s left and right kidneys were swollen and had stone accumulations, or mineral crystals. These hard crystals form when urine is more concentrated; Small “stones” often pass normally during urination, but can lead to infection if left untreated in the kidneys.
To treat the patient, doctors inserted a thin plastic tube into the left ureter to help drain urine. They then administered intravenous courses of antibiotics. piperacillin and tazobactam three times a dayas well as the levofloxacin antibiotic every other day.
After 48 hours of medication and hydration, the patient’s condition improved. He was discharged and instructed to return in a month to remove the tube and treat the stone buildup in the kidney.
Supernumerary kidneys are extremely rare, with fewer than 100 new cases reported worldwide each year. A fused “horseshoe” appearance with another kidney is even rarer, with only five cases reported in scientific literature.
