Times of India
19 May 2010

When docs operated on little Angel Burton for failing kidneys, they were amazed to find she had grown a new pair that took on the role of the original ones
When little Angel Burton needed emergency surgery on her failing kidneys, she astounded the medics – who discovered she had grown two new ones.
Angel, now eight, had suffered painful kidney infections since birth and had numerous scans as doctors monitored her condition. Aged five, her kidneys were so badly scarred that surgeons at Sheffield Children’s Hospital decided they had to give her an artificial valve. But after cutting her open, they found two fully formed kidneys growing on top of her old ones. The new organs had taken over the role of the others – Angel, who is now fighting fit, had cured herself. Mum Claire, 32, from Louth, Lincs, said: “It’s a miracle. It’s absolutely amazing none of her earlier scans picked up the extra kidneys”.

“When I told Angel what they’d found she said, ‘God gave me the healthy kidneys and forgot to take the old ones away.”

Claire, also mum to Faith, four, and Joseph, one, with husband Michael, 32, added: “You’d never know she was ever ill. We’re so grateful Angel’s back to her happy, healthy self.”

Duplex kidneys occur in approximately 1% of the population, but are rarely fully formed. Consultant urologist Prasad Godbole, who operated on Angel, said: “Duplex kidney means a kidney made up of two extra units joined together. It rarely comes to light.”