'One kidney'

[tbozz1108]

I have been diagnosed with what is known as a 'horse shoe kidney'. Apparently, my right kidney is connected to my left and if it fails...,its like ONE failing and I could die.
It has caused me some issues of late. Is there anyone else out there who has this 'issue', or has heard of it? Doctors have told me that it is not common at all. They seem very interested and surprised when they diagnose me with this. (I have been diagnosed 3 times via ultrasound).
Is this life threatening? Is this a genetic trait? What are some of the risks associated with this?

[tbozz1108]

Thank you so much for your 'informative response' Marina. To be honest....I'm sure that "I could die" is going to the extreme, however, I muct say that the Dr who gave me this grim diagnosis....did not think AT ALL that he was relaying this to someone who had no idea up until that point, that she even had this "condition".
I will definitely read up on this. It does scare me because I have been in the hospital quite frequently recently, and each visit is set in motion as a result of 'stomach' problems. Blood tests show abnormalities, and infection, but otherwise, they cannot pin point anything direct. Uktrasound only shows this medical condition that I've come to know as 'rare' and 'complicative'. I'm sure you are getting the jist of this.
Anyways....I dont want to be worse off before i get better. I am doing my own research. These docs here in this little town leave much to be desired. Thank you so very much again, for taking the time to respond. I love this site. It was the best "surf' i did yesterday :)
Happy Memorial Day!!!

[Marina_busybee]

My  co-worker's  daughter  has  this "horse shoe  kidney"  up  until  she mentioned it to me, I  had  never heard  the  term,

Now, you  say that your  doctor  told you if  the kidney  fails  you  can die,  although  I'm not  too familiar  with the  condition, I  suspect  that you  can  go  on  dialysis  or  get  a kidney  transplant  to  survive.
Ask your  Dr  lost of  questions.  Also  do  research on your  own,   google is  a  great  place to  start.

Here  what  I  found  on  my  research  ( I only  copied  a  small section,  feel  free  to  copy  and paste the  link  so you can  real  it all)

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/441510-overview
The horseshoe kidney is the most common type of renal fusion anomaly. It consists of two distinct functioning kidneys on each side of the midline, connected at the lower poles by an isthmus of functioning renal parenchyma or fibrous tissue that crosses the midline of the body.

Frequency
Horseshoe kidney occurs in 1 per 400-800 live births. The true incidence probably lies somewhere between these two extremes. Horseshoe kidney is twice as common in males as in females. No genetic determinant is known, although it has been reported in identical twins and in siblings within the same family.