Trauma to a horseshoe kidney: Case report and review of the literature

A horseshoe kidney (HSK) is the most common congenital renal fusion anomaly. It occurs in approximately 1 in 400 persons, with a 2:1 male:female incidence. Traumatic synchronous, multiorgan injury in the setting of anomalous anatomy adds to the complexity of surgical exposure and creates a formidable hemostatic challenge. We present a 30-year-old male with multiorgan injury secondary to blunt abdominal trauma sustained during a motor vehicle accident. We describe the preoperative evaluation that led to the identification of the HSK and other associated intra-abdominal injuries and the subsequent surgical procedure. Surgical management of blunt abdominal trauma to an HSK is difficult due to multiple variations in vascular anatomy and the location of this renal anomaly. Such anatomical variations can make reconstruction and preservation of the damaged kidney very challenging.