MEDULLARY SPONGE KIDNEY

Course overview

MEDULLARY SPONGE KIDNEY IS A BENIGN CONGENITAL ABNORMALITY THAT WAS FIRST DESCRIBED IN 1939. ANATOMICALLY IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY CYSTIC DILATATION OF THE RENAL MEDULLARY COLLECTING DUCTS. THESE NUMEROUS SMALL CYSTS RANGE IN DIAMETER FROM 1 TO 8 MILLIMETERS AND GIVE THE KIDNEY, WHEN CUT, THE APPEARANCE OF A SPONGE, THUS THE NAME. MEDULLARY SPONGE KIDNEY IS USUALLY BILATERAL BUT CAN AFFECT ONLY ONE KIDNEY. THE CONDITION IS BILATERAL IN 70% OF CASES, AND IT IS A RELATIVELY RARE DISORDER WITH A PREVALENCE OF ABOUT 1/5000 POPULATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF MEDULLARY SPONGE KIDNEY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.