1. What does it mean if someone's kidney is a "double collector"? (How
does this differ from a normal kidney?)
2. What percent of the population is "double collector"?
3. What kinds of problems can having a "double collector" kidney cause?
4. Is there anything specific that someone with this condition can do
to minimize problems?

[Note: "double collector" might not be the scientific term for this condition]

I realize that Google Answers is not a substitute for professional
medical advice.  This information is being used to prepare someone for
a meeting with a urology specialist.

If you can answer most, but not all, of this question, please ask for
clarification if it will be an acceptable answer.

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Clarification of Question by research_help-ga on 24 May 2005 11:46 PDT

* DO NOT ANSWER THIS QUESTION. * 

PLEASE SEE http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=525101

I had to repost this question, since I accidentally mentioned G**gle
Answers and it has been locked all day.

I think you are looking for the term 'double ureter'. A quick search
turns up a number of sites that cover this. A ureter is the
urine-carrying tube connecting the kidney to the urinary bladder.
Normally, each kidney has one ureter. Some people, however, have more
than one, sometimes a full duplication, othertimes a Y-shaped thing
coming down from the kidney before merging into a single ureter (more
rarely, you can get an upside down Y, one tube from the kidney
splitting into two paths to the bladder). One can also have an ectopic
ureter, i.e., one that does not drain into the bladder; as I recall,
these dead-end, and can become pockets of resistant infection. An
ectopic ureter draining into another anatomic part would be a
congenital defect and would likely be diagnosed soon after birth (but
don't quote me on this last).