Infant Renal Pyelectasis: Symptoms, Detection and Treatment

Infant renal pyelectasis is essentially the slight contraction of the renal pelvis, with or without the dilatation of the calyces. It develops into a small funnel-like anatomical structure that drains or collects urine from the kidney to the ureter, the tube that carries urine to the bladder.

In certain situations, this causes an obstruction of flow. As a result, there is increased pressure in the body and the size of the pelvis increases.

The number of cases of infant renal pyelectasis varies. Girls are less likely to develop kidney abnormalities than boys. However, in most male patients, the condition disappears by the age of 6 months.

Therefore, regardless of the baby’s sex, a responsible attitude is needed in order to carry out the diagnosis and treatment.

Due to its frequency, it’s difficult to find a relationship between infant renal pyelectasis and maternal disease, or with medication that the mother takes.

What can cause infant renal pyelectasis?

Some factors that can cause infant renal pyelectasis include the following:

• Reflux: the urine returns to the kidney.
• Obstruction in the urinary system.
• The ureter is composed of tubes that may be too narrow or are obstructed.
• Premature delivery.
• Urinary tract infection.

In addition, there may be other types of triggers. Often, the presence of renal pyelectasis in babies is caused by general weakness and the presence of neurological problems.

Symptoms of infant renal pyelectasis

If you notice some of these symptoms, it’s important that you take your child to the pediatrician because he or she may be suffering from renal pyelectasis.

Observe whether there is a significant increase in temperature and frequent pain in the abdomen. In addition, in most cases the flow of urine is interrupted.

These symptoms appear only in the later stages or when complications arise. Therefore, it’s important to act quickly.

How can infant renal pyelectasis be detected?

Infant renal pyelectasis is detected via a prenatal ultrasound and classified according to the degree of dilatation. For example, it can be mild (less than 10 millimeters), moderate (between 11 and 15 millimeters) and severe (more than 15 millimeters).

If treatment for this disease isn’t received, there may be a large number of conditions that develop that impact the child’s kidneys. Therefore, it’s necessary to carry out regular examinations, including an ultrasound.

Many babies who suffer from renal pyelectasis suffer an increased level of pressure on their organs and reduced functionality. If complications appear, pyelonephritis may occur, which is the inflammation of the tissues in the kidneys.

If you notice even one of these symptoms in your baby, don’t self-medicate. On the contrary, immediately go to a medical institution, where a specialist will perform an examination and give a diagnosis.

When is surgery required to treat it?

It’s necessary to perform surgery when the ureter presents an abnormal construction system and cannot be cured through drug therapy. This medium is also used when there is a strong increase in the dynamic growth of the renal pelvis, both on the right and the left.

If there are complications in the baby, in some cases surgery is considered. These measures are used to rescue the child in order to eliminate the effects of infant reflux, which releases the flow of urinary excretion.

Treating infant renal pyelectasis

Unfortunately, there is no magic recipe to solve the problem before the baby is born. However, performing an ultrasound will help you to be prepared for the various discomforts that the child may suffer.

The absence of treatment during pregnancy is because it can lead to negative consequences, including the death of the fetus.

Later, when the child grows, his organs are subject to change. Then, everything can move to the right place and symptoms of the disease disappear.

It’s important to take your baby to the pediatrician. Once all the causes of infant renal pyelectasis have been identified, it will then be appropriate to assign a treatment. In most cases, this consists of taking medication and performing physical therapy movements.