Does the multicystic dysplastic kidney really involute? The role of the retroperitoneoscopic approach

Long-term risk of chronic kidney disease in unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney

“…The mechanisms resulting in involution of these kidneys are not clear, as it is unknown if the lining of the cysts have active transport characteristics, which result in fluid secretion and re-absorption. Presumably, involution of the cysts creates the radiographic impression of involution of the multicystic dysplastic kidney although there may be persistence of dysplastic tissue [30]. This study confirms the high incidence of contralateral urologic abnormalities and a higher prevalence of CKD ≥2 in patients with MCDK [22,23,31].…”

Unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney: does initial size matter?

“…The findings from our large and longterm study over 24 years and those from other reports support non-surgical management in the absence of reported complications of malignancy and infrequent cases of hypertension [5,6,13,14]. Some authors advocate operative removal of MCDK and even remnants thereof [15]. Differences of opinion may result from a conservative approach by physicians as opposed to a surgical approach with laparoscopic removal.…”

Unilateral renal agenesis and the congenital solitary functioning kidney: developmental, genetic and clinical perspectives

“…with 99m Tc‐DMSA, concentrated in functioning tubules). Furthermore, all these radiological techniques might fail to detect a very small (<2 cm across) contralateral kidney affected by renal ‘aplasia’ (a tiny, dysplastic organ, containing undifferentiated and metaplastic tissues) or atrophy secondary to renal artery stenosis or neonatal renal venous thrombosis [9–11]. Such ‘remnants’, confirmed at laparotomy, have rarely been implicated in causing hypertension [10,12]; MRI might prove a sensitive technique with which to find such rudiments [10].…”