Hydronephrosis

Diagnosis

Diagnosis involves the steps that your healthcare team takes to find out if hydronephrosis is the cause of your symptoms. Your healthcare professional starts by asking you about your symptoms and doing a physical exam. You may be referred to a doctor called a urologist, who finds and treats conditions of the urinary system.

Tests that can help find out if you have hydronephrosis can include:

• A blood test to check how well the kidneys work.
• A urine test to look for clues that infection or kidney stones may be causing a blockage.
• An ultrasound imaging exam to view the kidneys, bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. This test can help spot possible health conditions.
• An X-ray exam of the urinary tract that uses a special dye to outline the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. This test is called a CT urogram. It captures images of the urinary tract before and after urination.

Your healthcare professional also may suggest another imaging exam, such as an MRI. Another testing option called a MAG3 scan checks kidney function and drainage.

During pregnancy, a routine ultrasound test often spots hydronephrosis in unborn babies.

Treatment

Treatment for hydronephrosis depends on its cause and how bad the symptoms are. The goal of treatment is to ease kidney swelling and prevent kidney damage. You may need medicine, a process to drain urine or surgery. In some people, mild hydronephrosis goes away on its own in time.

Medications

Your healthcare professional may prescribe medicine to ease pain. Some people need medicine called antibiotics to clear up a urinary tract infection. Sometimes, babies with hydronephrosis are given antibiotics to prevent infections. Babies often don't need other treatment. They often have mild hydronephrosis that gets better on its own. Imaging tests can track their health over time.

Surgery or other procedures

Sometimes, surgery is needed to fix a blockage or correct the backward flow of urine. Surgery also may be done to ease terrible pain or vomiting from hydronephrosis.

Surgery may be a treatment option for hydronephrosis caused by conditions such as:

• Kidney stones.
• Enlarged prostate.
• Blocked or narrowed ureter.
• Cancer.

Some people also need to have excess urine drained from the body. A healthcare professional does this by placing a thin tube called a catheter into the bladder.

Early treatment for hydronephrosis helps many people get better. It also helps prevent lasting kidney damage.

Preparing for your appointment

You may start by seeing your main healthcare professional. Or you might be referred to a doctor called a urologist who finds and treats urinary tract conditions.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance. For instance, you may need to stop eating for a certain number of hours before a test. Also, it helps to make a list of:

• Your symptoms, including any that don't seem related to the reason for your appointment.
• Key personal information, including major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history.
• All medicines, vitamins and other supplements you take, including the doses.
• Questions to ask your healthcare professional.

Take a family member or friend along if you can. This person can help you remember the information you're given.

For hydronephrosis, some basic questions to ask your healthcare professional include:

• What's likely causing my symptoms? Are there other possible causes?
• What tests do I need?
• Is my condition likely short-term or long lasting?
• What treatment is right for me? Are there other treatment choices as well?
• I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
• Are there restrictions I need to follow?
• Should I see a specialist?
• Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you recommend?

Feel free to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you questions such as:

• When did your symptoms start?
• Do your symptoms happen some of the time or all of the time?
• How bad are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to make your symptoms better?
• What, if anything, appears to make your symptoms worse?