Hydronephrosis

A hydronephrosis (water trap kidney) is an extension of the renal cavity system that comes with a medium and long term destruction of kidney tissue and is characterized by chronic urinary obstruction due to disturbance in the urine flow into existence.

Depending on the amount of disorder can be extended as hydroureter baggy not only the renal collecting system, but also the ureter ( ureter ).

Causes

The cause of the increase in pressure in the renal collecting system come into question, among other things:

• By problems within the Harnableitungssystems ( ureteropelvic junction to external urethral orifice as Ureterabgangsstenosen, Ureterostiumstenosen, urethral valves, stone disease, prostatic hyperplasia, meatal stenosis, tumors)
• By problems outside the Harnableitungssystems ( tumors, such as cervical cancer stage IIIb, retroperitoneal fibrosis, pregnancy, etc.)

A congenital, bilateral hydronephrosis pronounced can be felt during pregnancy by a decreased amount of amniotic fluid ( oligohydramnios ).

Investigations

Studies, which are used for investigation of hydronephrosis are ultrasonography, intravenous pyelography, Miktionszystourethrographie and scintigraphy ( for the evaluation of residual renal function).

In veterinary medicine, especially ultrasonography and IVU are used.