Kidney failure...please help

[it_explorers]

Please help me I am 52 year old lady....Last year i got operated for VVF & hernia...every this was normal..but some times i have pain..after discussion with physician he told me that hernia is again developed ,which is common...when got ultra sound scan of lower abdomen last week radiologist found moderate hydronephrosis and parenchymal and dilation of left ureter throughout its course, with right kidney measuring 9.7 x 4.4 cm & left kidney measuring 7.9 x 4 cm . Then i got IVP with results as normal right kidney & left kidney shows no uptake or excretion of contrast even after 24 hrs & Post void residual urine is insignificant.

Then physician suggested for DMSA scan with results as:-

Left Kidney: Left Kidney is enlarged and Grossy hydronephrotic with small area of cotical tissue seen in upper and mid pole laterally.

Right Kidney: Right Kidney is normal in size and shape . Cortical uptake is normal with homogenous tracer distribution. Cortical outline is regular. No scan evidence of cortical scarring seen.

Differential Function (%):    left kidney: 1.46    Right Kidney: 98.54

After going through the above reports physician told left kidney is lost and we have to remove it.

Please guide me that going for kidney removal is safe....Is there any way for the recovery of kidney.

Please guide me i am very terrified

Thanks & Regards

Savitri Gupta

[Avinash R Kakade]

Hello Savitri,

It is really a boon that you are not a diabetic and morever your creatinine level is not too high.

May be with help of your family and your family doctor you can arrive at a conclusion soon. My best wishes are with you.

Regards

[it_explorers]

Thanks for your advice.

I am not diabetic. Currently i am visiting Dr. Ajay Sharma, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
He told the surgery will not be open it will be laproscopic..

Some more facts to add are my creatinine level is 1.4 mg/dl...so the GFR is about 40...according to some formula found on the net.

Any views and advice will be a great help for me in taking the decisions.

Thanks & Regards
Savitri Gupta

[Avinash R Kakade]

Hi Savitri,

So sorry to read about your medical illnesses. It seems you are having a tough time at present.

From the above IVP and DMSA scan reports it seems to me that your left kidney is in bad shape. May I know whether you are a diabetic or not?

May be you can gather a second physician's opinion before opting for kidney removal.

Kidney removal per se has the inherent risks that any major surgery has. The recovery of the surgery will depend on many factors like your medical fitness, your age etc. Since the left kidney is already hydronephrotic, chances are high that it may develop an infection something called as pyonephrosis and then things would be worse so I request you not to delay on taking a well informed decision.

There are many people around who are hale and hearty and surviving on just one kidney for years to come depending on their individual medical fitness. So need not worry about this and just tackle the current problems at hand.

Keep me updated about this.

Regards and take care, Savitri.