At the N. Lopatkin SRI of Urology and Interventional Radiology helped a child with congenital hydronephrosis of the kidney

During pregnancy, at the second ultrasound screening, Zemfira, the mother of our little patient Maryam, found out that her unborn child had a congenital disease – hydronephrosis of the kidney – enlargement of the renal pelvis and calyces due to impaired outflow of urine. As a result, the kidney begins to work worse, its resources run out, and the organ can no longer cope with its function.

Often, if the ureter “ripens” (becomes functionally complete as the child grows up to 2 years of age), this disease can go away on its own, without the participation of a doctor. However, if this does not happen, treatment is required, otherwise the disease progresses and leads to the death of the kidney.

After Maryam was born, the mother expected that the disease would go away on its own, but, unfortunately, a miracle did not happen – at a repeat examination, when the girl was two years old, the doctors not only confirmed the diagnosis, but also noted an increase in the size of the kidney. The girl needed urgent treatment.

Zemfira began searching for a clinic where her daughter could get help and perform the operation using the gentlest method possible. “I know that laparoscopic surgery is less traumatic, there are almost no scars after it and recovery is much faster. I was afraid of open operations, because the child is still very tiny, but such interventions are not performed in our region. And our friends advised us to contact the N. Lopatkin Scientific Research Institute of Urology and Interventional Radiology – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of the “National Medical Research Radiological Centre” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, as one of the leading centers where they treat urological diseases,” said Zemfira. Based on reviews on the Internet, she found her doctor, MD Jamalutdin Aliyev, a researcher at the children’s uroandrology department, and she immediately made an appointment with him for a consultation

The department’s doctors immediately accepted the little patient for treatment and, after additional examination, offered surgical intervention – laparoscopic plastic surgery of the ureteropelvic segment. «During the operation, we found a changed area of the ureter, which was compressed by a renal vessel. This led to a long-term narrowing of its lumen, causing hydronephrotic transformation of the kidney. We dissected the ureter and performed an anastomosis over the renal vessel, having previously installed a stent in it (internal drainage). Maryam will live with it for a month; it will not affect the girl’s activity, but it is necessary to reduce the load on the anastomosis. Then it will be deleted. Every day, kidney function will return to normal – and as a result it will not differ from healthy,» – explained the operating surgeon, head of the pediatric urology group at the N. Lopatkin Scientific Research Institute of Urology and Interventional Radiology Yuri Rudin.

«After the operation, the girl will no longer require further treatment. Due to the fact that the surgical intervention was low-traumatic, the child was able to do without painkillers the next day, » – noted the attending doctor.

During the conversation, Zemfira admitted that she was constantly in doubt and anxiety: «Did I make the right decision to go to Moscow?», «Will everything work out?». «When I came to the Institute, after meeting the staff and the attending doctor, I felt like I was in good hands. I don’t remember when I’ve been so calm lately. In the children’s department, I saw real professionals in their field who gave me a feeling of confidence in the result. I liked everything – the staff, the conditions, the attitude towards patients.”

Very soon the mother and girl will be discharged home. They will maintain contact with the doctors of the institute and will be under supervision for the necessary time. But the main thing is that Zemfira and Maryam are healthy, they will celebrate the New Year at home, and worries will be a thing of the past!