Conjoined twins with a horseshoe kidney

Abstract

Conjoined twins are rare variants of monozygotic twins. There are many types of conjoined twins, usually classified according to the site of fusion. The most common type of renal fusion anomaly is the horseshoe kidney, comprising two distinct functioning kidneys on either side of the midline, which are more likely to be connected at the lower poles. We report on a 30-year-old woman who presented to the antenatal clinic at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging revealed thoraco-omphalopagus conjoined twins with complex thoracic and abdominal structures, including a horseshoe kidney that was confirmed on postnatal computed tomography screening. Our patient was classified as a thoraco-omphalopagus type, with fusion of the thorax and the mid-trunk.