"Pancake kidney": a renal anomaly complicating aortic reconstruction.

Pancake kidney is a rare fusion anomaly of the kidneys characterized by the presence of a displaced, lobulated pelvic renal mass of dual parenchymatous system without intervening septum. The existence of this anomaly during aortic reconstruction presents a great technical challenge. The surgical management of a 51-year-old man with a 5.0 cm aortic aneurysm and a pancake kidney is described.