Bifid ureter
A bifid ureter, or ureter fissus, is an example of incomplete duplication of a duplex collecting system and is an anatomical variant.
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Terminology
Multiple seemingly unrelated terms for blind-ending bifid ureters are currently in use and there is no consensus on terminology in the literature. These include bifid ureter with a blind-ending pouch, aborted bifid ureteral diverticulum, and aborted duplication of the collecting system ref.
Epidemiology
Present in ~5% (range 1-10%) of the population 1,2.
Gross anatomy
A bifid ureter is present when there is a duplex kidney (separate pelvicalyceal collecting systems) draining into separate ureters, but the ureters unite before draining into the bladder at a single ureteric orifice 1.
Rarely, one of the branches of a bifid ureter will be blind-ending and will not unite 2.
Differential diagnosis
- double ureter: persistent of ureters to drain at separate ureteric orifices in the bladder
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Abdominopelvic
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