Ureteral duplication
Ureteral duplication
8;Note the two ureters (arrows) from the right kidney. €The duplication is incomplete. The proximal ureters join to become a common distal ureter before entering the bladder.


(Image Contrib. by:UCHC)(Description by: H. Yamase)
T73000M00100
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Ureteral Duplication
Etiology

•Congenital/developmental.


Pathogenesis

•See etiology.


Epidemiology

•See etiology.


Clinical

•This abnormality is frequently found incidentally (radiographically or at autopsy) and the patient is asymptomatic.

•Rare cases with ectopic ureteral orifices can manifest urine flow from unusual locations (See gross description).


General Gross Description

•Ureteral duplication may be partial or complete.

•Most duplications are partial with two ureters draining separate pelvic collecting systems of one kidney and joining distally to form one ureter before entering the bladder.

•Complete duplications are less common where two ureters drain one kidney and have separate orifices into the urinary bladder.

•Even less common are situations where one of the duplicated ureters empties into the vagina, urethra, uterus, seminal vesicles, verumontanem or ejaculatory ducts.


General Micro Description

•The ureters are histologically normal. This abnormality is a gross anatomic abnormality.


Reference

• Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 992.

•Murphy WM. Urologic Pathology, Philadelphia: Saunders, 1989, p. 125.


• Current literature from PubMed at National Library of Medicine


Synopsis by: Harold Yamase M.D., UCHC
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