Question

Obstructive uropathy involves the obstruction of urine flow as it exits from kidney toward bladder. Answer all of the following:

• What happens when urine backs up in kidney?
• What structure can pressure on tubules damage?
• When obstruction occurs is it typically unilateral or bilateral? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Answers:

* Back flow of urine causes swelling of the kidneys called hydronephrosis. It occurs when the kidneys couldn't drain out the urine due to obstruction of tubules. The back flow of urine is known as the vesicoureteral reflex.

*Due to hydronephrosis, elevated pressure in renal pelvis can cause dilation and ischaemia of distal tubules resulting in kidney damage.

*Hydronephrosis is the dilation of the renal pelvis and calyces resulted from obstruction in the Urinary tract. According to the level of obstruction it can be unilateral or bilateral.Bilateral obstruction is affected both kidney due to the obstruction of lower Urinary tract and unilateral is affected single kidney due to the obstruction in the upper Urinary tract.