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Pediatrics214 papers

Renal agenesis

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Bilateral renal agenesis, also known as Potter's syndrome, is a severe congenital anomaly characterized by the absence of both kidneys, often associated with oligohydramnios, pulmonary hypoplasia, and distinctive facial features including the "Potter face." 3418

Diagnosis

  • Key Diagnostic Criteria: Bilateral absence of kidneys, oligohydramnios, characteristic facial features (e.g., low-set ears, receding chin, flattened nose), and pulmonary hypoplasia. 3418
  • Recommended Tests:
  • - Ultrasound: Severe oligohydramnios, unrecognizable kidneys, and hypoplastic thoracic cage. 1923 - Aortography: If ultrasound findings are inconclusive, to confirm absence of kidneys. 24 - Postnatal Imaging: CT or MRI to confirm renal agenesis and assess associated anomalies. 18

    Management

  • No Specific Treatment: Potter's syndrome is primarily a prenatal diagnosis with no curative treatment postnatally due to the fatal nature of the condition. 418
  • Supportive Care: Focus on managing complications such as respiratory distress and providing palliative care. 4
  • Special Populations

  • Pregnancy: Antenatal diagnosis crucial to prepare for poor neonatal prognosis; avoid unnecessary cesarean delivery. 1920
  • Pediatrics: Infants typically do not survive beyond the neonatal period due to pulmonary hypoplasia and other severe anomalies. 418
  • Key Recommendations

  • Prenatal Ultrasound Screening: Routinely screen for oligohydramnios and absence of kidneys to diagnose Potter's syndrome prenatally. (Evidence: Moderate 1923)
  • Avoid Unnecessary Cesarean Delivery: Given the poor prognosis, avoid cesarean delivery if Potter's syndrome is diagnosed antenatally to prevent additional trauma. (Evidence: Expert opinion 20)
  • Supportive Neonatal Care: Prepare for immediate supportive care focusing on respiratory support due to pulmonary hypoplasia. (Evidence: Weak 4)
  • References

    1 Kothari M, Rao K, Moolani S. Recurrent progressive anterior segment fibrosis syndrome following a descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty in an infant with congenital aniridia. Indian journal of ophthalmology 2014. link 2 Dentici ML, Mingarelli R, Dallapiccola B. The difficult nosology of blepharophimosis-mental retardation syndromes: report on two siblings. American journal of medical genetics. Part A 2011. link 3 Dunn PM. Dr Edith Potter (1901 1993) of Chicago: pioneer in perinatal pathology. Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition 2007. link 4 Dhundiraj KM, Madhukar DN, Ambadasrao PG, Wamanrao KS, Prem ZM. Potter's syndrome: a report of 5 cases. Indian journal of pathology & microbiology 2006. link 5 McGaughran J, Sinnott S, Dastot-Le Moal F, Wilson M, Mowat D, Sutton B et al.. Recurrence of Mowat-Wilson syndrome in siblings with the same proven mutation. American journal of medical genetics. Part A 2005. link 6 Mégarbané A, Ghanem I, Romana S, Gosset P, Caillaud C. Congenital contractures, short stature, abnormal face, microcephaly, scoliosis, hip dislocation, and severe psychomotor retardation in two unrelated girls. a new MCA/MR syndrome?. Genetic counseling (Geneva, Switzerland) 2002. link 7 Nowaczyk MJ, Hughes HE, Costa T, Clarke JT. Severe prenatal growth retardation, dysmorphic features, pigmentary retinopathy, and generalized absence of subcutaneous tissues: a new entity?. Clinical dysmorphology 1998. link 8 Antiñolo G, Rufo M, Borrego S, Morales C. Megalocornea-mental retardation syndrome: an additional case. American journal of medical genetics 1994. link 9 Bhaya MH, Schachern P, Morizono T, Paparella MM. Potter's syndrome: a temporal bone histopathological study. The Journal of otolaryngology 1993. link 10 Pridmore C, Baraitser M, Brett EM. Alopecia, mental retardation, epilepsy and microcephaly in two cousins. Clinical dysmorphology 1992. link 11 Smith A, Watt AJ, Cummins M, Gardner RJ, Wilson M. A small one-band paracentric inversion inv (4) (p15.3p16.3). Annales de genetique 1992. link 12 Kovács T, Csécsei K, Tóth Z, Papp Z. Familial occurrence of bilateral renal agenesis. Acta paediatrica Hungarica 1991. link 13 Volberg FM, Dillard R, Sumner T. Ultrasonography of discoid adrenals in Potter's syndrome: report of three cases. American journal of perinatology 1989. link 14 Yamamoto Y, Hayasaka S, Setogawa T. Family with aniridia, microcornea, and spontaneously reabsorbed cataract. Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) 1988. link 15 Prouty LA, Myers TL. Oligohydramnios sequence (Potter's syndrome): case clustering in northeastern Tennessee. Southern medical journal 1987. link 16 Adkins DH, Bunt-Milam AH, Pagon RA. Retinal neovascularization in Potter's syndrome secondary to renal agenesis. Ophthalmic paediatrics and genetics 1986. link 17 Sharma SK. Solitary kidney with blind-ending ureteral duplication. European urology 1985. link 18 Nakamura Y, Funatsu Y, Yamamoto I, Yamana K, Nishimura T, Hosokawa Y et al.. Potter's syndrome associated with renal agenesis or dysplasia. Morphological and biochemical study of the lung. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine 1985. link 19 Helin I, Axelsson I, Persson PH. Prenatal diagnosis of Potter's syndrome by ultrasound. Acta paediatrica Scandinavica 1983. link 20 Peleg D, Dicker D, Samuel N, Feldberg D, Goldman JA. FHR patterns in Potter's Syndrome. Journal of perinatal medicine 1983. link 21 Cote GB, Katsantoni A, Deligeorgis D. The cytogenetic and clinical implications of a ring chromosome 2. Annales de genetique 1981. link 22 Rush WH, Currie DP. Hemitrigone: renal agenesis or single ureteral ectopia. Urology 1978. link90097-3) 23 Keirse MJ, Meerman RH. Antenatal diagnosis of Potter syndrome. Obstetrics and gynecology 1978. link 24 Toomey FB, Fritzsche P, Carlsen E, Caggiano H, Vyhmeister N, Kullman V. Application of aortography and ultrasound in evaluation of renal agenesis. Pediatric radiology 1977. link 25 Fitch N. Heterogeneity of bilateral renal agenesis. Canadian Medical Association journal 1977. link 26 Fitch N, Lachance RC. The pathogenesis of Potter's syndrome of renal agenesis. Canadian Medical Association journal 1972. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
    2. [2]
      The difficult nosology of blepharophimosis-mental retardation syndromes: report on two siblings.Dentici ML, Mingarelli R, Dallapiccola B American journal of medical genetics. Part A (2011)
    3. [3]
      Dr Edith Potter (1901 1993) of Chicago: pioneer in perinatal pathology.Dunn PM Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition (2007)
    4. [4]
      Potter's syndrome: a report of 5 cases.Dhundiraj KM, Madhukar DN, Ambadasrao PG, Wamanrao KS, Prem ZM Indian journal of pathology & microbiology (2006)
    5. [5]
      Recurrence of Mowat-Wilson syndrome in siblings with the same proven mutation.McGaughran J, Sinnott S, Dastot-Le Moal F, Wilson M, Mowat D, Sutton B et al. American journal of medical genetics. Part A (2005)
    6. [6]
    7. [7]
    8. [8]
      Megalocornea-mental retardation syndrome: an additional case.Antiñolo G, Rufo M, Borrego S, Morales C American journal of medical genetics (1994)
    9. [9]
      Potter's syndrome: a temporal bone histopathological study.Bhaya MH, Schachern P, Morizono T, Paparella MM The Journal of otolaryngology (1993)
    10. [10]
      Alopecia, mental retardation, epilepsy and microcephaly in two cousins.Pridmore C, Baraitser M, Brett EM Clinical dysmorphology (1992)
    11. [11]
      A small one-band paracentric inversion inv (4) (p15.3p16.3).Smith A, Watt AJ, Cummins M, Gardner RJ, Wilson M Annales de genetique (1992)
    12. [12]
      Familial occurrence of bilateral renal agenesis.Kovács T, Csécsei K, Tóth Z, Papp Z Acta paediatrica Hungarica (1991)
    13. [13]
      Ultrasonography of discoid adrenals in Potter's syndrome: report of three cases.Volberg FM, Dillard R, Sumner T American journal of perinatology (1989)
    14. [14]
      Family with aniridia, microcornea, and spontaneously reabsorbed cataract.Yamamoto Y, Hayasaka S, Setogawa T Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) (1988)
    15. [15]
    16. [16]
      Retinal neovascularization in Potter's syndrome secondary to renal agenesis.Adkins DH, Bunt-Milam AH, Pagon RA Ophthalmic paediatrics and genetics (1986)
    17. [17]
      Solitary kidney with blind-ending ureteral duplication.Sharma SK European urology (1985)
    18. [18]
      Potter's syndrome associated with renal agenesis or dysplasia. Morphological and biochemical study of the lung.Nakamura Y, Funatsu Y, Yamamoto I, Yamana K, Nishimura T, Hosokawa Y et al. Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine (1985)
    19. [19]
      Prenatal diagnosis of Potter's syndrome by ultrasound.Helin I, Axelsson I, Persson PH Acta paediatrica Scandinavica (1983)
    20. [20]
      FHR patterns in Potter's Syndrome.Peleg D, Dicker D, Samuel N, Feldberg D, Goldman JA Journal of perinatal medicine (1983)
    21. [21]
      The cytogenetic and clinical implications of a ring chromosome 2.Cote GB, Katsantoni A, Deligeorgis D Annales de genetique (1981)
    22. [22]
      Hemitrigone: renal agenesis or single ureteral ectopia.Rush WH, Currie DP Urology (1978)
    23. [23]
      Antenatal diagnosis of Potter syndrome.Keirse MJ, Meerman RH Obstetrics and gynecology (1978)
    24. [24]
      Application of aortography and ultrasound in evaluation of renal agenesis.Toomey FB, Fritzsche P, Carlsen E, Caggiano H, Vyhmeister N, Kullman V Pediatric radiology (1977)
    25. [25]
      Heterogeneity of bilateral renal agenesis.Fitch N Canadian Medical Association journal (1977)
    26. [26]
      The pathogenesis of Potter's syndrome of renal agenesis.Fitch N, Lachance RC Canadian Medical Association journal (1972)

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