ANATOMICAL VARIATIONS OF THE UPPER URINARY TRACT: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 68 CASES

Objective: To describe the clinical, imaging, and therapeutic profile of congenital upper urinary tract anomalies managed at a tertiary referral center. 
Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 68 patients admitted to the Department of Urology at Hassan II University Hospital, Fez, between January 2019 and December 2023. 
Results: In our study, the age range most affected by upper urinary tract malformations was 21 to 40 years, with a female predominance (sex ratio: 0.87 M/F). Pyeloureteral junction syndrome was the most common anatomical variation, accounting for 79% of cases. Left urinary tract involvement was the most frequent, accounting for 46.7%. Lumbar pain was the main complaint (67.6%). Medical imaging played a crucial role in the diagnosis, enabling us to assess the morphological aspect of the malformations and their impact on the urinary tract, as well as to identify different congenital anomalies of the upper urinary tract for simplified classification. All patients diagnosed with congenital malformations of the urinary tract underwent personalized surgical treatment, with a generally favorable outcome
Conclusion: Diagnosis relies primarily on CT urography, supplemented by functional assessment in obstructive forms. Rigorous anatomical and functional characterization guides treatment selection.