What is Hydronephrosis

Hydronephrosis is the swelling of one or both kidneys due to a blockage that stops urine from flowing out of the body. Kidneys filter waste from the blood and produce urine. This condition can lead to kidney failure and may become life threatening if not treated promptly.

What are the causes?

Common causes of this condition include:

• Problems that occur when a baby is developing in the womb (congenital defect). These can include problems:
  • In the kidneys.
  • In the tubes that drain urine from the kidneys into the bladder (ureters).
• Kidney stones.
• Bladder infection.
• An enlarged prostate gland.
• Scar tissue from a previous surgery or injury.
• A blood clot.
• A tumor or cyst in the abdomen or pelvis.
• Cancer of the prostate, bladder, uterus, ovary, or colon.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Pain or discomfort in your side (flank).
• Pain and swelling in your abdomen.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Fever.
• Pain when passing urine.
• Feelings of urgency when you need to urinate.
• Urinating more often than normal.

In some cases, you may not have any symptoms.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed based on:

• Your symptoms and medical history.
• A physical exam.
• Blood and urine tests.
• Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI.
• A procedure in which a scope is inserted into the urethra and used to view parts of the urinary tract and bladder (cystoscopy).

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition depends on where the blockage is, how long it has been there, and what caused it. The goal of treatment is to remove the blockage. Treatment may include:

• Antibiotic medicines to treat or prevent infection.
• A procedure to place a small, thin tube (stent) into a blocked ureter. The stent will keep the ureter open so that urine can drain through it.
• A nonsurgical procedure that crushes kidney stones with shock waves (extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy).
• If kidney failure occurs, treatment may include dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Rest and return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Drink enough fluid to keep your urine pale yellow.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it exactly as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You continue to have symptoms after treatment.
• You develop new symptoms.
• Your urine becomes cloudy or bloody.
• You have a fever.

Get help right away if:

• You have severe flank or abdominal pain.
• You cannot drink fluids without vomiting.

Summary

• Hydronephrosis is the swelling of one or both kidneys due to a blockage that stops urine from flowing out of the body.
• Hydronephrosis can lead to kidney failure and may become life threatening if not treated promptly.
• The goal of treatment is to treat the cause of the blockage. It may include insertion of stent into a blocked ureter, a procedure to treat kidney stones, and antibiotic medicines.
• Follow your health care provider’s instructions for taking care of yourself at home, including instructions about drinking fluids, taking medicines, and limiting activities.