Do you also have two ducts in one kidney? Let's talk about Duplex Kidney!

Sometimes we are born with small changes in our bodies. Some of these we do not even know about throughout our lives. This is a common condition that is present at birth, but for most people it does not cause any problems, and is called Duplex Kidney. You may be a little scared when your doctor mentions this name. But there is no reason to be scared. Let's talk about this simply.

Simply put, what is Duplex Kidney?

This is very simple. Normally, we all have two kidneys in our bodies. A single tube (ureter) comes from each kidney and connects to our bladder. The urine produced in the kidney travels along this tube to the bladder.

However, in a person with a condition called Duplex Kidney , two ureters emerge from one kidney . Like the letter Y. This happens early in the development of the baby in the womb. This is the only difference in this condition. This is also called duplicated ureters.

Are there any types of Duplex Kidneys?

Yes, there are mainly two types. Once you understand this, the situation will become clearer to you. Let's look at it this way to understand it easily.

This condition can occur in just one kidney, or it can occur in both kidneys.

What are the symptoms of this condition?

Here's the important thing. Many people, the vast majority, don't have any symptoms. Most people don't know they have this condition for the rest of their lives. It's often discovered incidentally, as if it were a scan done for another reason.

However, sometimes, especially in cases of complete Duplex Kidney, problems can occur if the ureters are not properly connected to the bladder. In this case, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Frequent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Doctors will also look into this if young children, especially those who are frequently getting urinary tract infections, are having trouble with it.
• Kidney infection: This is a urinary tract infection that comes with a fever.
• Urinary Incontinence: If a young child continues to urinate on their clothes even after they have become toilet trained, it may be a symptom.

Does this cause excessive urination?

No. Having a Duplex Kidney does not mean that your body produces more urine, nor does it mean that you need to urinate more often. However, if you get frequent UTIs, the infection may cause you to feel like you need to urinate more often.

What causes this? Is it hereditary?

This condition is caused by a small error in cell division while the baby is developing in the mother's womb. Nothing the mother did or didn't do during pregnancy is the cause. So don't worry about it.

This condition can sometimes be inherited. If one parent has the condition, there is about a 50% chance that a child will also have it. However, a child can develop the condition even if no one in the family has it.

What are the possible complications of Duplex Kidney?

As we mentioned earlier, problems don't arise simply from having two tubes. It's only when there's a difference in the way those tubes are connected that the problem occurs. This can cause obstruction of the flow of urine, urine can flow backwards into the kidney, or the kidney can become swollen. These are the reasons why infections often occur.

The main associated conditions that can be seen are:

• Ureterocele: A balloon-like bulge in the urethra where it connects to the bladder. This can obstruct the flow of urine.
• Ectopic ureter: A tube that connects the ureter to a location other than where it normally connects to the bladder (perhaps outside the bladder).
• Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR): Urine from the bladder flows back up the ureter, which can lead to kidney infections.
• Hydronephrosis: A blockage in the flow of urine causes urine to pool in the kidney, causing the kidney to swell.

How to recognize this condition?

When reviewing your symptoms, your doctor will ask you about any stomach or back pain, urinary control problems, and whether anyone in your family has had this condition.

Scans are mainly used to confirm this.

Is treatment necessary? What treatments are available?

Again, most people don't need any treatment. If you don't have symptoms, you don't need to do anything.

However, if you continue to have problems due to the complications we discussed earlier, your doctor may recommend surgery. These don't address the problem of having two tubes, but rather the blockage or urinary reflux that's caused by them.

There are several main types of surgery:

Ureteroureterostomy

This involves connecting the two tubes coming from the kidneys before they enter the bladder, creating a single Y-shaped tube. This allows urine to flow directly into the bladder.

Ureteral reimplantation

If the ureter is connected in the wrong place (ectopic ureter) or if urine flows backward (reflux), the surgeon will remove the tube and reconnect it to the correct place in the bladder.

Nephrectomy

This is a very rare procedure. It involves removing part or all of a kidney. But this is only done if that part of the kidney is not working at all and is causing persistent severe infections or other problems. This is only considered if the other kidney is functioning well.

After surgery, a child usually stays in the hospital for a day or two and then rests at home for a week or two. After that, the doctor will do an ultrasound scan to make sure everything is okay.

When do you need to see the doctor?

If you know you have Duplex Kidney and develop new symptoms, see your doctor.

However, if you have symptoms of a severe infection, go to the hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately. Such symptoms include:

• High fever (over 39 Celsius).
• Sudden, severe pelvic pain.
• A state of non-stop vomiting and inability to eat or drink anything.

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