Right hydronephrosis

The kidneys are like water, containing a small amount of water, but not enough to cause any serious problems. However, some people are found to have right renal pelvis hydrops when they are examined in the hospital. This type of water accumulation, which exceeds one thousand milliliters, is a huge amount of water within 24 hours. If the water cannot be discharged, it is mostly caused by urinary tract obstruction problems. Holding it in for too long can easily cause disease, and the cause needs to be found and treated in time.

Overview of Hydronephrosis

Hydronephrosis refers to the enlargement of the renal pelvis and calyces accompanied by renal tissue atrophy due to urinary tract obstruction. Urinary tract obstruction can occur anywhere in the urinary tract and can be unilateral or bilateral. The degree of obstruction may be complete or incomplete, and either may cause hydronephrosis if it persists for a certain period of time. When the volume of hydronephrosis exceeds 1000 ml, or in children it exceeds their 24-hour urine volume, it is called giant hydronephrosis.

Hydronephrosis is mostly caused by upper urinary tract obstructive diseases. Common causes include congenital ureteropelvic junction stenosis, ureteral stones, etc. Long-term lower urinary tract obstructive diseases can also lead to hydronephrosis, such as prostatic hyperplasia, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, etc. The degree of water accumulation can be mild, moderate or severe. In mild cases, only the renal pelvis is dilated, in moderate cases, the renal calyces are also dilated, and in severe cases, the renal pelvis and calyces are fused and the kidney becomes a sac of water accumulation.

Causes of urinary tract obstruction

Urinary tract obstruction can occur suddenly or gradually. Common causes of urinary tract obstruction are as follows.

Intraluminal obstruction

① Congenital malformations such as ureteral or posterior urethral valves and urethral stenosis; ② Foreign bodies such as urinary stones, blood clots, necrosis and detachment of renal papillae; ③ Tumors such as renal pelvis, calyx, ureter and bladder tumors; ④ Inflammation such as ureteritis and urethritis.

Extracavitary compression

① Tumors of tissues adjacent to the bladder and ureter, such as prostate cancer, uterine body and cervical cancer, retroperitoneal tumors, etc.; ② Benign prostatic hypertrophy; ③ Inflammation of tissues around the urinary tract and retroperitoneal fibrosis; ④ Renal ptosis with ureteral torsion; ⑤ Pregnant uterus.

Functional disorders Neurological disorders

Such as spinal cord injury causing bladder paralysis, others such as functional disorders and obstructions of the ureters, bladder and urethra.