Hydronephrosis Treatments

Treatment

Treatment involves:

• Draining excess urine from the kidney
• Removing the blockage
• Treating conditions that cause blockage or reflux
• Treating infections in the urinary system

Some causes of hydronephrosis resolve without treatment (such as pregnancy and kidney stones ).

Treatment options include:

• Antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections
• Medications (eg, anticholinergic drugs) to treat neurogenic bladder
• Catheter inserted into the bladder to drain the urine
• Nephrostomy (a tube inserted into an opening in the midsection to drain urine from the kidney)
• Surgery to remove a blockage or correct a defect in the urinary system
• Surgery to remove part or all of the kidney (rare)

Babies born with conditions that cause hydronephrosis are monitored to see if they will need treatment. Care of such babies involves:

• Regular visits to the doctor
• A special doctor who treats children with inborn urinary problems
• Antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections
• Possible surgery to correct the problem