How is hydronephrosis caused?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 25, 2024
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The causes of hydronephrosis can be divided into congenital, acquired, and external factors. Among these, acquired causes are the most common, primarily referring to obstructions in the urinary tract, such as stones that block the ureter, leading to hydronephrosis, inflammation, or ischemic damage. Scarring of the ureter can also result in hydronephrosis. Tumors or polyps in the renal pelvis and ureter may also cause obstructions leading to fluid accumulation. External causes mainly include diseases of retroperitoneal organs, such as abscesses, bleeding, tumors in the retroperitoneum, and pelvic tumors, like rectal cancer. Congenital causes mainly involve intrinsic narrowing of the ureter, ectopic vessels causing compression, and high insertion of the ureter, which are less common.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can you have sex with hydronephrosis?

Before the complete resolution of hydronephrosis, it is recommended that patients avoid sexual intercourse. This is because hydronephrosis indicates the presence of obstructive factors in the urinary system, causing urine to not be excreted smoothly. Urine accumulates within the urinary system, causing dilation of the renal pelvis, calyces, and ureter. If urine cannot be excreted, bacteria can easily ascend from the urethral opening into the urinary system, causing an inflammatory response. If patients engage in sexual intercourse during this time, bacteria at the urethral opening can easily be pressed into the bladder, ascending and potentially causing pyelonephritis or cystitis. Therefore, it is best for such patients to avoid sexual intercourse until the hydronephrosis has been thoroughly addressed.

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Nephrology
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Is hydronephrosis serious?

Whether the condition of hydronephrosis is serious depends on various factors such as the duration of hydronephrosis, the cause, the extent of fluid accumulation, and more. For example, some patients may have mild hydronephrosis in only one kidney and it may have developed recently; generally, this condition is not very serious. Some patients might have urinary obstructions caused by urinary system stones, and the issue could be resolved using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or surgical stone removal, making the condition not serious. However, in some cases, the cause could be bladder cancer or a tumor near the urinary system compressing the ureter, and if the tumor is difficult to remove, the hydronephrosis might be hard to manage. Long-term fluid accumulation might lead to kidney failure, and these scenarios are considered quite serious.

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Urology
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Is hydronephrosis prone to recurrence?

Whether hydronephrosis is prone to recurrence depends on the cause of the hydronephrosis. Common causes of hydronephrosis in clinical practice are as follows: First, urinary tract stones. When a stone is lodged in the ureter or urethra, it can cause urinary obstruction. The urine produced by the kidneys cannot be expelled in time, leading to hydronephrosis. If the stones in the urinary system can be completely removed, it generally does not recur easily. However, if there are still quite a few stones in the kidney or bladder after clearing the urinary tract, it is more likely to recur, because the stones might move down, get lodged in the ureter or urethra again, and cause hydronephrosis. Second, prostate enlargement. Hydronephrosis caused by prostate enlargement is generally more likely to recur because the prostate continues to grow in size. Even if the enlarged prostate is surgically removed, it still might lead to urethral stricture, thereby causing hydronephrosis again.

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Nephrology
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Kidney hydronephrosis atrophy symptoms

Severe hydronephrosis may cause kidney atrophy. The symptoms of the patient can be divided into two aspects: Firstly, hydronephrosis may cause some clinical symptoms, such as some patients may experience swelling in the lumbar and back area, and a decrease in urine output. Patients may suffer from spasms of the ureter due to obstruction of the urinary system, resulting in severe pain, and some patients may also have hematuria. On the other hand, the atrophy of kidney tissue caused by this hydronephrosis actually means the loss of kidney function. Patients may exhibit symptoms of renal failure, such as swelling of limbs, increased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, anemia, and other clinical symptoms.

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What are the symptoms of hydronephrosis?

Patients with hydronephrosis may not exhibit any symptoms. Whether symptoms are present depends on factors such as the extent of renal damage caused by hydronephrosis, the severity of the hydronephrosis, and the duration of hydronephrosis. Some patients might only notice the issue due to a lump in the abdomen or a swelling sensation in the lower back, prompting them to undergo ultrasound imaging that reveals hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis can cause renal colic, and patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, and reduced urine output. When hydronephrosis is complicated by infection, symptoms like chills, shivering, fever, and headache can occur. Some patients may first present clinically with a urinary tract infection, showing symptoms like fever, frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination. In rare cases, hydronephrosis can rupture and lead to bleeding.