What are the serious dangers of hydronephrosis?

The harm of hydronephrosis is of course quite great. If it is not treated properly, it may lead to renal atrophy, urinary tract obstruction and urinary tract infection. Severe hydronephrosis may also be complicated by acute peritonitis, which poses a great threat to life and health.

Harm 1. Renal atrophy: Renal atrophy is the main hazard caused by hydronephrosis. Due to obstructed urination, the renal pelvis enlarges, the intrarenal pressure increases, and the blood vessels of the renal tissue are compressed, leading to progressive ischemic atrophy and destruction of the kidneys and impaired renal function. In more serious cases, the kidneys become large, non-functioning sacs. For patients with mild hydronephrosis, the renal pelvis morphology can be restored after the hydronephrosis obstruction is relieved; but for patients with severe hydronephrosis, the atrophied renal tissue is difficult to repair.

Hazard 2: Urinary tract infection: Urine stagnation in the kidneys and ureters causes bacteria to grow and multiply, leading to complications such as pyelonephritis, ureteritis, cystitis or perinephritis.

Hazard 3: Severe hydronephrosis: Since the renal parenchyma is very thin, if the tension inside the kidney is too great, it can easily cause traumatic rupture or spontaneous tension rupture, which may be complicated by acute peritonitis and seriously threaten life safety.

Harm 4. Kidney stone formation: Stones block the urethra and cause hydronephrosis, which in turn induces stone formation. The two are causally related. The infected bacteria, pus balls, necrotic and detached tissue cells become the core of kidney stone formation, especially the salt crystals precipitated in the infected urine will accumulate into stones.