The kidneys play the role of a biological filter, which ensures constancy in the body. It is the functioning of the kidneys that contributes to the withdrawal of metabolic products, and also helps to achieve equilibrium in the organs. So, in an adult, about 2000 liters of blood pass through the kidneys every day, which form about 2 liters of secondary urine.
Of course, in a situation with children, these indicators are less, and they vary depending on age. In children, ICD-10 pyeloectasia has the code Q63, in most cases it is congenital in nature, since the kidneys are laid at 2 months of fetal development.
Causes
This kidney disease is caused by the following causes:
- narrowing of the ureter ;
- malformations of the renal vessels;
- metabolic disorders;
- abnormal development of the urinary system.
The above malfunctions in the kidneys occur at different stages of fetal development during pregnancy.
Risk factors
Risk factors are:
- uncontrolled intake of medications;
- radiation exposure (even in the treatment of benign tumors);
- intrauterine infection;
- living in areas with an unfavorable environmental situation;
- ureteral injuries;
- bad habits.
The sooner the adverse factor that has a detrimental effect on the formation of the child's kidneys is eliminated, the more invisible its consequences.
The most dangerous malformations are possible in early pregnancy, at the beginning of embryogenesis. To identify abnormalities, it is recommended to conduct an ultrasound scan on time. Acquired pyeloectasia occurs mainly during the first or second year of life.
Symptomatology
Initially, pyeloectasia can be completely asymptomatic. In particular, this occurs when only one of the kidneys is involved in the disease process, since a healthy kidney experiences excessive stress, performing its functions and working for a weakened organ. More pronounced signs may indicate the development of a bilateral process of pyeloectasia.
Symptoms in newborns
External manifestations of the expansion of the pelvis may vary depending on the age of the patient. Basically, the disease affects young children and adult men. In newborn babies, nonspecific symptoms are observed:
- frequent crying;
- moodiness;
- temperature;
- decreased appetite;
- behavior change;
- vomiting
- decreased activity;
- diarrhea;
- pallor;
- apathy.
Symptoms in Preschoolers
With pyeloectasia, children are usually worried about back pain, in the groin and abdomen, the pain can periodically appear or weaken. A common manifestation of this disease is the presence of pus in the urine, which is expressed in its turbidity. Often, a single volume of the allocated urine changes. So, in children, this condition can be detected by parents, but older people can usually ignore this symptom.
Some time after the developing disease, the patient may experience intoxication of the body, as a result of which the child may experience nausea, general malaise, and also refuse food.
In men, the ureter can fall into the urethra, and in women, into the vagina. The mouth of the ureter narrows, a cystic and spherical protrusion of the intravesical department in the ureter is formed. Urine from the cavity through the ureter returns again to the kidney. Ureter enlargement can also occur , accompanied by malfunctioning of the urinary organs.
Ultrasound for pyeloectasia
During the planned diagnosis, starting from the 17th week of pregnancy, pyeloectasia of the unborn baby is detected. Hydronephrosis and pyeloectasia are detected using an abdominal ultrasound scan or an ultrasound scan of the kidneys. In addition, radiopaque examinations (urography, cystography) can be performed. The volume of the pelvis should not change after urination. When diagnosing a disease, it is important to do an ultrasound after the baby is born.
Due to the physical features of the genitourinary system in boys, congenital pyeloectasia can be traced more than in girls, however, it passes more quickly. No therapy required. For complete control of the dynamics of the expansion of the pelvis, an ultrasound scan is done four times a year. Anatomically, the kidney during pyeloectasia in the child on the left is slightly larger and is higher - this is important when reading the diagnosis.
Urolithiasis also requires an ultrasound scan, an X-ray of the kidneys, computed tomography and other methods that can detect a clear localization of stones and track their movements. The final diagnosis is made by a pediatrician or urologist based on the conclusion of an ultrasound specialist.
The main way to disclose kidney pyeloectasia is considered a study. For the first time, such a violation can manifest itself even during the period of intrauterine formation. Already after the birth of children, the study should be carried out every 2-3 months up to 1 year, and after - 1 once every six months. In addition to ultrasound, it is recommended to periodically take a urine test (general, according to Nechiporenko and others).
With pyeloectasia of the kidneys during ultrasound, the following results of this pathology are revealed:
- megaureter - an increase in the ureter;
- urethrocele - the ureter is immersed in the bladder, swells in the form of a bladder, and access to it narrows;
- vesicoureteral reflux - urine flow in the opposite direction;
- hydronephrosis - accompanied by expansion of the pelvis, and the duct remains compressed;
- ureteric ectopia - the duct is immersed in the urethra in boys, and in girls in the vagina;
- the presence of valves of the posterior urethra leads to bilateral pyelectasia and expansion of the ureters.
If indicators of disease progression are detected, additional methods of study are prescribed: cystography, excretory urography, CT of the kidneys.
Drug treatment
Bilateral pyeloectasia in a child is a pathological condition of the organs responsible for the excretion of urine, which leads to an increase in the pelvis. This condition is mainly diagnosed in children and men, due to the physiological characteristics of their urogenital system.
Renal pyelectasis, depending on the location, degree of damage and performance of the excretory system, involves the use of the method of waiting, surgery (in very severe cases), as well as drug treatment. For example, if pyeloectasia is detected in a newborn or in a child under 3 years of age, the urologist recommends waiting, subject to continuous examinations and ultrasound. The same tactics can be applied to an adult who has a first degree of illness.
Preparations
In the pathology that was provoked by inflammation or infection, the use of conservative treatment of pyelectasia in children is recommended, for which the use of antibacterial therapy is indicated. Together with antibiotics, the patient is prescribed a complex of minerals and vitamins, as well as immunostimulants, which make it possible to maintain immunity and increase the body's defenses.
Also, probiotics are used to get rid of bilateral pyeloectasia in children, which help restore and protect the intestinal microflora from the effects of antibiotics. In the event that the hepatic pelvis has expanded due to high blood pressure in the urinary system, the urologist may prescribe the use of myotropic antispasmodics. They relax the muscles of the excretory system.
If kidney stones form that can make it difficult for urine to flow out, treatment should consist of crushing and eliminating them. Mostly used "Fitolizin", "Kanefron", etc.
Alternative treatment
An increase in the renal pelvis in a child is a rather rare pathology that does not occur for no reason. It is noteworthy that this pathology is not always considered a disease, usually pyeloectasia is the result of a functional disorder, without a pathological cause. But if a child is found to have a pathology, it is necessary to conduct an additional examination as soon as possible and be under the supervision of a doctor.
Traditional medicine offers quite a few recipes that help to effectively remove all the symptoms of pyeloectasia of the right kidney in a child. They also help with a disease of the left kidney. The principle of their action is based on the removal of stones, sand and salts from the urinary system. In addition, they normalize the functioning of organs and suppress the inflammatory process.
Effective Recipes
For the treatment of pyeloectasia of a child in the left kidney (and right), the following recipes are used:
- Infusion of juniper, birch buds, dandelion roots: take 1 tbsp. l well-ground raw materials of each plant, put in a thermos and pour 1 liter of boiling water. After 12 hours, the broth is filtered and taken at 0.5 tbsp. three times a day.
- Infusion of adonis, oats, horsetail and nettle: as in the previous version, a mixture of all ingredients is taken, it is also filled with boiling water, infused for 12 hours and taken 4 times a day, 50 ml each.
- Infusion of knotweed: this drink is recommended to be prepared for the child daily. For its preparation, 1.5 tbsp. l herbs need to pour 1 tbsp. boiling water and leave for 2 hours. The filtered drink is taken throughout the day in small sips.
- Vitamin infusion of rose hips: a handful of fruits are poured into a thermos and 2 liters of hot water are poured. The infusion must be kept for 2 hours and taken a little every day, until the condition is completely normalized. You can add a little honey to the infusion to improve its taste. Also, with pyeloectasia, it is useful to drink infusions of blackcurrant, cranberry and lingonberry.
- Infusion of dyeing madder during pyeloectasia in a child on the right or on the left: it is necessary to grind the roots of the plant well, to fill up 1 tbsp. l plants in a pan and pour 1 tbsp. hot water. The prepared solution must be brought to a boil, boil for about 7 minutes on low heat. Then the broth is cooled, filtered and taken before meals, 50 ml. It is important to remember that this folk remedy can stain the urine of a child in red - you should not be afraid of this!
The duration of treatment must necessarily be agreed with the doctor, especially when it comes to the child. When indicated, surgical manipulations may be necessary.
Surgical intervention
Kidney pectoectasia in children under one year of age is a rather serious pathological process, with the development of which an increase in the size of its pelvis is observed in the child. A mild form of this disease can go away on its own after the child’s urinary system ripens.
Surgery can usually be prescribed in the case of bilateral pyelectasia or with unilateral, if there is a severe form of the disease. The main objective of the operation is to restore the patency of the urethra, which allows you to get a normal outflow of urine. Usually, the surgical procedure is not traumatic or complicated; it is performed endoscopically, without extensive incisions.
If the operation during pyeloectasia in a child on the right or on the left is carried out immediately after the detection of the disease, in the future there is a risk of recurrence, but there are few such cases. It occurs in children up to the age of 5-7 years. At the time of relapse, pyeloectasia appears in a milder form, and the operation is not necessary again.
In general, with pyeloectasia, the prognosis after surgery in children is favorable, and if you still need surgery, you should not be afraid of this - it will normalize the body and also prevent the development of more serious complications and diseases.
Prevention
In order for a disease such as pyeloectasia not to develop in children after their birth or in adults, the necessary preventive measures must be observed:
- Do not neglect personal hygiene.
- Prevent a variety of infectious processes in the kidneys in advance.
- Properly eat and follow a mineral diet.
- Prevent the occurrence of urolithiasis: drink well, take diuretic drugs.
Other methods
To prevent the development of urolithiasis, effectively cleanse the kidneys with a watermelon. Such a cleansing must be carried out at least once a year, at the same time when there is a period of ripening watermelons. This is an excellent diuretic that effectively removes not only sand from the kidneys, but also small stones along with the flow of urine.
To prevent this disease, it is recommended to resort to traditional medicine. The drugs also give a diuretic effect, remove sand and stones from the kidneys and help treat chronic processes in any body, restore the normal functioning of the kidneys. It is worth noting that folk remedies will be safer, unlike medicines, not only for adults, but also for very tiny children.