During an incidental imaging study, a patient is found to have a horseshoe kidney. Which of the following statements about its arterial supply is correct?
- A The isthmus is supplied exclusively by the inferior mesenteric artery
- B The isthmus is usually supplied by a branch arising from the abdominal aorta ✓
- C Both kidneys always retain their normal single renal arteries
- D The isthmus is supplied by branches of the external iliac arteries
Correct answer: B. The isthmus is usually supplied by a branch arising from the abdominal aorta
Explanation
In horseshoe kidney, the fused lower poles are joined by an isthmus that lies anterior to the aorta and IVC, below the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery. The isthmus receives its blood supply most commonly from one or more accessory branches arising directly from the abdominal aorta, although iliac vessels may contribute. The inferior mesenteric artery does not supply it, which is why the isthmus cannot ascend above the L3 level. Accessory renal arteries are common in this anomaly.
Reference: Campbell-Walsh Urology, 12th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.