Usually, urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder via the ureter.
When a blockage or obstruction impedes the normal flow of urine, hydronephrosis can develop.
Overview
The urinary tract serves two distinct purposes.
Getty Images / Peter Dazeley
The primaryfunction of the kidneysis to filter out extra water, salt, and waste.
The second is to collect and excrete urine from the body.
If the system becomes blocked, urine can accumulate, causing the kidneys to swell.
Initially, a person with hydronephrosis may not experience any noticeable signs of dysfunction.
But, over time, symptoms may appear as the swelling persists, causing notable discomfort.
The extent of the symptoms depends on the reason for the blockage and its severity.
Symptoms
A person with hydronephrosis may not be aware they have the condition.
When symptoms are present, they may show up within a range of hours, weeks, or months.
Causes
Hydronephrosis can affect people of all ages, from before birth to adulthood.
If hydronephrosis happens before birth, it is referred to asantenatal hydronephrosisorfetal hydronephrosis.
Hydronephrosis can also occur during pregnancy as the growing uterus presses against the urinary tract.
Not all swelling of the kidney is hydronephrosis.
Further testing can be done to rule out real hydronephrosis versus having extrarenal pelvis.
The most standard include the following.
Fortunately, one kidney is usually capable of doing the work of two.
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