Appearance of Renal Cysts in Adult Human Cadavers

Abstract

Introduction: The cysts present on the kidney are generally developed due to either genetic or pathological factors. Such lesions of kidneys are usually found to be filled with fluid. An Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) can be considered as a causative factor for the cysts found on kidneys. But deficit family history and agedness of cadavers encourage us to take on as “simple kidney cysts”. The increasing use of modern medical imaging helps in frequent finding of renal cysts in the general population. The frequency of simple renal cysts shows notable contrasts according to the gender. Their acceptance intensifies with age. Hence, the knowledge of the normal and abnormal anatomy is a point of paramount significance, be it, the complex procedure such as living donor kidney transplantation. Aim: To evaluate the crucial presence of cysts on different area of kidneys. Number of cysts present on specific region of surface of specimens and the morphology of the covering wall of the cysts and nature of fluid found inside them was also looked into. Also, to assess the relations between various other pathologies and renal cysts, importance of renal cysts in kidney transplantation surgeries. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out on 150 cadaveric kidneys after removing them from cadavers. The kidneys were removed by incising anterior abdominal wall. The other abdominal organs were carefully removed to reach both the kidneys on posterior abdominal wall. The kidneys were collected from Department of Anatomy in Medical Colleges of state of Gujarat. Results: After taking photographs the cysts from each group of kidneys were opened to observe the contents and morphology of cyst membrane. Out of 150 kidneys, 13 (8.66%) kidneys were having cysts on their upper poles. Two (01.33%) kidneys were found to have cysts on their middle segments. Six (4%) kidneys were having cysts on their lower poles. Multiple cysts were observed on 11 (7.33%) kidneys. Conclusion: It is concluded that the cysts observed unilaterally/bilaterally may not have any either pathological effects/autosomal dominant disease effect because the age of donated cadavers is more than 60 years and the kidney transplants had not been observed in a single cadaver.

Keywords

• anterior abdominal wall
• autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
• polycystic kidney donors
• renal transplantation
• renal tumours