Transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy of non-functional horseshoe kidney that could not be identified preoperatively in a child

Horseshoe kidney is the most common congenital fusion anomaly. Ureters being stuck between the isthmus and the intestines cause urinary stasis and lead to more common development of urinary tract infection and urolithiasis compared to a normal kidney. If not treated, kidney function may be gradually lost. Although the condition is usually diagnosed with ultrasound screening, the diagnosis may be overlooked in patients with a non-functional kidney due to the lack of renal vascularization. We aim to present a 6 years old boy who have non-functioning kidney which is a part of undiagnosed horseshoe kidney. We emphasize that horseshoe kidney should be suspected when live renal parenchyma tissue passing the midline is observed during laparoscopic nephrectomy of a non-functional kidney that could not be preoperatively diagnosed as a horseshoe kidney in this presentation.