Unilateral multicystic dysplasia in 1 component of a horseshoe kidney: case reports and review of the literature.

We report on 3 pediatric patients with multicystic dysplasia involving 1 component of a horseshoe kidney. Including our cases, 18 cases of unilateral multicystic dysplasia in a horseshoe kidney have been reported. The clinical, radiological and pathological features of these cases are briefly reviewed. The association of multicystic dysplastic kidney and horseshoe kidney presents a unique diagnostic challenge. Because of the rarity of unilateral multicystic dysplasia in a horseshoe kidney and the size of the dysplastic component, which crossed the midline in our patients, we chose to excise that component. Cross-sectional imaging techniques, that is computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, were helpful in diagnosis and in planning operative treatment.