In fact, the colloquial term wandering kidney refers to an organ that is prone to movement. A wandering kidney, with the scientific name nephroptosis, is the medical term for a lowering of the kidney. It is usually caused by decreased muscle tone and/or severe weight loss. This can lead to pain, e.g. when standing, due to traction on the renal vessels or due to urinary retention as a result of the kinking of a ureter. If the pain is too severe, surgical fixation of the kidney may be necessary. Georg Kreisler has set a cheerful, musical monument to the wandering kidney in his song of the same name.
