Incidence and distribution of renal anomalies in patients with neural tube defects.

In 190 patients with neural tube defects the sensory levels to pin prick were compared with the incidence and distribution of congenital renal anomalies. 17 such anomalies comprised 3 examples of renal agenesis, 5 horseshoe kidneys, 8 ureteral duplications and one simple ureterocele. The pattern of anomalies showed that renal agenesis was associated with a sensory level in the dermatomes T5-8, horseshoe kidneys with T9-L1 and duplications predominantly with the sacral dermatomes.