What department should I go to for hydronephrosis?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on April 14, 2025
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Hydronephrosis refers to the accumulation of urine in parts such as the renal pelvis and calyces due to some reason causing the urinary system to not smoothly excrete urine. After the kidneys produce urine, it cannot be excreted smoothly, leading to the accumulation called hydronephrosis. Generally, it is necessary to visit the urology department, as the most common causes of hydronephrosis are stones or tumors in the urinary system and prostatic hyperplasia, among other issues, all of which require urological treatment. In most cases, surgery may be necessary to relieve the obstruction and resolve the hydronephrosis. However, there are also a small number of patients who may have hydronephrosis due to other reasons, such as cervical cancer or colorectal cancer patients, where enlarged tumors may compress the ureter leading to hydronephrosis. Patients with cervical cancer need to undergo surgical treatment in gynecology, while those with colorectal cancer may need treatment in general surgery.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Is hydronephrosis with hematuria serious?

Whether hematuria in patients with hydronephrosis is serious cannot actually be determined by the amount of blood in the urine. It is important to identify the cause and assess kidney function, because hydronephrosis can lead to serious consequences, mainly kidney failure. If the hydronephrosis persists for a long time, it can compress the renal cortex and cause kidney shrinkage, leading to chronic kidney failure. The dangers of hematuria mainly include: first, it may cause significant bleeding, leading to anemia. Second, this type of hematuria could be caused by certain conditions, such as bleeding caused by a tumor in the urinary system, which is quite serious. Whereas bleeding caused by urinary tract infections or urinary system stones, in terms of the nature of the cause, is not considered very serious. However, significant bleeding can also lead to severe anemia and even shock, which would be more serious.

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Nephrology
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What should I do if I have hydronephrosis and atrophy?

Hydronephrosis leading to kidney shrinkage indicates that the condition has persisted for a long time. Long-term hydronephrosis places significant pressure on the kidneys, which in turn compresses the kidney tissues causing tissue shrinkage. The destruction and shrinkage of tissues result in the kidneys' inability to function properly, leading to azotemia. Patients will experience chronic kidney failure, a situation that is difficult to reverse. Even if surgery is performed to relieve the obstruction and allow urine to be excreted, the damaged kidney tissue cannot regenerate. Therefore, it is still necessary to relieve the obstruction as soon as possible to avoid further damage to the remaining kidney tissue. For patients who have progressed to uremia, it may be necessary to consider hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, or undertake a kidney transplant to sustain life.

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Nephrology
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What department to see for hydronephrosis?

Patients with hydronephrosis should visit the urology department of a formal hospital, because the conditions causing hydronephrosis are often surgical in nature. The most common cause is urological stones, which block the ureter or the bladder opening, causing urine to accumulate within the urinary system and leading to hydronephrosis. Additionally, patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia may also experience this condition. Tumors in the urinary system may compress the ureter and cause hydronephrosis. Some patients have congenital deformities of the ureter, where changes in the anatomical structure can lead to hydronephrosis. In summary, these conditions often require surgical treatment, thus necessitating consultation at a formal hospital's urology department.

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Nephrology
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Will hydronephrosis cause facial swelling?

In cases of hydronephrosis, it is not certain whether facial swelling will occur. Since the human body has two kidneys, the kidneys have strong compensatory capabilities. Even if one kidney is completely damaged, if the other kidney remains healthy, the remaining kidney can still perform the function of two kidneys. It can ensure sufficient excretion of water and metabolic waste. When water is sufficiently excreted, swelling should not occur. However, if both kidneys are affected by hydronephrosis, or if the opposite kidney also has problems, then the ability of the kidneys to excrete water may decrease. With both kidneys having issues, it can lead to poor and insufficient water excretion, consequently causing swelling, such as bilateral eyelids, facial areas, and both ankles.

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Does hydronephrosis hurt a lot?

Hydronephrosis does not necessarily cause severe pain. If the hydronephrosis develops suddenly over a short period, it might cause intense pain, most commonly due to urinary system stones blocking the ureter, leading to hydronephrosis. At this time, the ureter may experience spasms, causing severe pain. However, if the hydronephrosis develops gradually, the patient's pain symptoms might not be pronounced. For example, insufficient motility of the ureter or some type of narrowing could lead to the accumulation of fluid. If this condition develops slowly and persists for a long time, the patient might not feel particularly uncomfortable, despite the hydronephrosis, and it may only be discovered incidentally during a physical examination.