Nephroptosis (wandering kidney). What is a wandering kidney and how to treat this pathology Consequences of kidney prolapse in women

When the muscle tissue that supports the kidneys weakens, they begin to move away from their natural anatomical location.

This condition is called a wandering (floating) kidney. This pathology mainly occurs in professional athletes or people whose activities involve constant stress on the paired organ of the urinary system.

The article will discuss the main symptoms, causes and methods of treating nephroptosis.

general information

First, let's go back to anatomy. The kidney is one of the paired organs of the human body. It is located in the lumbar region and is held there by the abdominal ligaments, fascia, abdominal muscles and the supporting ligament of the kidneys.

In a healthy person, displacement of this organ is allowed no more than a few centimeters. This process occurs due to respiratory movements.

With a floating kidney, the organ can move downwards. It is worth noting that it can return to its original place, which is why it is called wandering.

In case of complications, it is constantly located in the pelvic area. This condition entails many problems, so it is very important to diagnose nephroptosis in the early stages.

Most often, women and teenage children are affected by this disease, less often - men.

Causes

There are many reasons for development, among them the following are worth highlighting:

• frequent infectious diseases;
• weight loss, which leads to muscle relaxation;
• pregnancy;
• lifting or carrying heavy objects;
• professional sports.

Symptoms of manifestation

Most often, nephroptosis occurs. It is important to note that a floating kidney, as a rule, does not have characteristic symptoms.

But this is where its insidiousness lies, since as it moves to the abdominal area, irreversible processes occur in the organs.

The most striking sign of nephroptosis is considered to be pain in the lower back on the side of the prolapse. As the disease progresses, the following symptoms are observed:

• short-term pain that is pulling, stabbing or aching in nature;
• lying on your back, all unpleasant symptoms go away;
• loss of appetite;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pain that radiates to the organs of the reproductive system;
• increased body temperature;
• intestinal disorders in the form of frequent constipation or diarrhea;
• feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
• dizziness;
• sleep disorders;
• increased heart rate;
• When pressing on the diseased kidney, the patient feels severe pain.

In addition, the general condition worsens, the patient becomes irritable, hot-tempered, and problems with urine excretion may occur.

If treated incorrectly, serious complications develop.

Stages of flow

The wandering bud has several stages of development:

• at the initial stage, the organ can be felt in the subcostal region;
• at this stage, the kidney can leave the anatomical zone, but if the patient lies on his back, it returns to its original place on its own;
• at the last stage, a displacement occurs in the pelvic area, and it becomes very difficult to return the organ to its place.

It is important to note that at an early stage of development, the wandering kidney does not show any symptoms.

In the latter case, the patient experiences serious complications that pose a threat to his life.

Diagnostic measures

When the first alarming signs of a floating bud appear, it is recommended not to hesitate to contact. He will conduct a thorough examination and conversation with the patient.

Instrumental methods include ultrasound examination of organs, radiography, etc.

The results help determine the extent to which the organ has been displaced and whether other areas of the urinary system are affected. It is important to note that the diagnosis of nephroptosis is made if the kidney is displaced by more than 5 cm.

Therapy methods

Depending on the stage of development of the wandering kidney, the doctor selects the correct method of treatment.

Traditional methods

In the case of nephroptosis, there are no drugs that help return it to its original place. Doctors use this type of treatment to prevent the development of complications. These can be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial,...

Their appointment is carried out exclusively by a specialist after receiving the results of a comprehensive examination.

If the patient has concomitant diseases of the urinary system and requires surgical correction of the wandering kidney, then first they treat the complications and only then proceed with the operation.

One of the options for conservative therapy is wearing a special orthopedic bandage. It helps fix the kidney in the desired position and prevents its further displacement.

Another method is physiotherapeutic procedures that restore muscle tone. They include special massages of the abdominal and lumbar region, treatment in sanatorium-resort conditions

The patient’s diet must be corrected. All fatty, spicy and fried foods are excluded from the diet, and the drinking regime is regulated. If nephroptosis is caused by sudden weight loss, then that allows the patient to return to normal.

Surgical intervention

If conservative therapy methods do not bring the desired result, then the doctor decides to perform surgery. In this case, the organ is attached to the desired location using special threads.

The main indications for such an operation are the presence of stones, frequent stones in the organ, and surges in blood pressure.

Today, thanks to the achievements of modern medicine, surgery. This method is considered less traumatic, and the rehabilitation period for the patient is painless. Previously, doctors performed surgery using the traditional abdominal method.

To do this, an incision of about 20 cm in size was made on the patient’s body, then, using a small section of muscle, the lowered organ was secured in the right place. However, this type of intervention is very painful, the rehabilitation period is about 14 days (the patient spends it in strict bed rest).

Laparascopic correction of displacement is performed under local or general anesthesia. To do this, three small incisions are made and a floating kidney is attached in the area of ​​the 12th rib using a fibrous capsule.

It is important to note that the patient must properly prepare for such an operation, since the effectiveness of its implementation depends on this. If there are concomitant diseases of the urinary system, they are first treated, and then only the procedure for eliminating nephroptosis begins.

A few days before surgery, the patient is admitted to the hospital and is on bed rest. It should be noted that his legs on the bed should be in an elevated position. To prevent the risk of developing thrombosis, blood clotting tests are required.

During the rehabilitation period, the patient is prescribed antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. People who are overweight may need to wear a special corset.

ethnoscience

Unfortunately, there are no folk remedies that can return a prolapsed organ to its place. However, some patients still resort to such methods. Among the most popular it is worth highlighting:

It should be noted that such methods do not give 100% results; they are best used as an addition to the main therapy.

Complications

The most common complications of nephroptosis are compression of the ureter and pinching of the kidney. At the same time, it increases significantly in size, the patient’s body temperature rises and pain intensifies.

Impurities of pus may appear in the urine due to the onset of the inflammatory process.

As a result, the patient is diagnosed with pyelonephritis, kidney stones, or the appearance of neoplasms. At the first symptoms of complications, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor.

Prevention and prognosis

When treatment is started in the early stages, the percentage of its return to its natural position increases significantly. After surgery, the prognosis is positive in 90% of cases. The patient must take into account all the doctor’s recommendations in the postoperative period.

• maintain correct posture from childhood;
• limit yourself to diets and lifting heavy things;
• lead a healthy lifestyle;
• visit a doctor regularly;
• during pregnancy, wear special supportive underwear;
• avoid possible kidney injury.

Nephroptosis (wandering kidney) is quite common. If the disease is detected in the early stages, surgical intervention can be avoided.

With advanced nephroptosis, the patient develops serious complications. It is very important to monitor your health and consult a doctor in time, this will greatly increase your chances of recovery.

Before talking directly about the disease of the right kidney, you need to understand what nephroptosis is. Nephroptosis is a disease in which pathological mobility of one or both kidneys is observed. In this case, the kidney is displaced downwards (usually to the abdominal area, in more rare cases to the pelvic area). There is nephroptosis of the right kidney and left kidney. Interestingly, this disease is typical in 4 out of 5 cases specifically for the kidney located on the right.

What are the causes of nephroptosis?

There are not many reasons for the appearance of this disease, but they are conditional. That is, this disease can occur in a person “for no reason” (the meaning of this word in this case comes down to the fact that medicine cannot find the cause of this disease).

In this case, a reason is given as the genetic predisposition of a certain organism to a given disease. The causes of the disease are:

1. Low intra-abdominal pressure. This is usually associated with decreased tone of the abdominal muscles.
2. Pathology of the ligamentous apparatus of the kidney. Often occurs due to injury.
3. A sharp reduction in the thickness of the fatty capsule of the kidney. Usually observed due to an infectious disease or after a rapid loss of body weight.

Symptoms of nephroptosis

Interestingly, there are no symptoms of nephroptosis as such. Does your lower back hurt, especially when walking for a long time? These are symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis, especially since the pain goes away when you take a lying position. Has your blood pressure increased? This is either a change in weather conditions, or stress, or heredity. Pyelonephritis or kidney inflammation? This is a cold of these organs. A person in such a situation is afraid of long walks, mild hypothermia, and does not even think about playing sports.

In addition, nephroptosis on the right has several other signs. For example, you should think about it if you experience nagging and aching pain in your right side, which disappears over time. When this disease starts, such sensations appear in the lower region of the ribs and become more intense and permanent.

Very often, with nephroptosis, symptoms include diarrhea or constipation. Worrying about an increase in temperature with a lack of appetite, as well as apathy, insomnia, and rapid heartbeat. All these signs of nephroptosis can be inherent in other diseases, so it is necessary to pay attention to your body in order to identify this disease at an early stage.

Identifying kidney nephroptosis is also not entirely easy. For example, during an ultrasound, a person is asked to lie down so that the wandering kidney returns to its normal position. In this regard, an incorrect diagnosis is made, and the person does not treat the problem, but simply gets rid of the painful sensations. So to detect nephroptosis or kidney prolapse, ultrasound should be performed while the patient is standing. In addition, the diagnosis of this disease includes several blood tests (general and biochemical) and a general urine test.

But the final diagnosis of this disease consists of the so-called survey and excretory urography (this is a special x-ray). It involves the introduction of a substance that is excreted from the body by the kidneys. This study allows us to identify the functional features of the kidneys and obtain images of them in different positions.

Nephroptosis is classified depending on the degree of neglect:

1. In the 1st degree of this disease, the mobile kidney can be felt with the fingers only when the patient inhales, since upon exiting it hides under the ribs. At this stage it is extremely rare to make a diagnosis of this disease.
2. At stage 2, the wandering kidney is felt by the fingers only when the person takes a vertical position. If a person stands up, the affected organ hides under the ribs. Usually the diagnosis is made at this stage of the disease.
3. Stage 3 nephroptosis is the most severe, with the kidney protruding from under the ribs in any position.

Treatment, prevention and consequences of nephroptosis

Increased kidney mobility has serious consequences and promises the following complications or diseases: urolithiasis, arterial hypertension, miscarriages, fever, increased fatigue, headaches. In addition, mobility of the right kidney can lead to poor urine flow, which leads to the appearance of stones in this organ and acute pyelonephritis.

Treatment for nephroptosis includes both conservative and surgical methods. The former are used for the initial stages of this disease, and the latter for more serious ones. Moreover, these methods are used for nephroptosis both on the right and on the left. A conservative method would be to wear a special bandage. The bandage should be put on while lying in bed in the morning and removed in the evening or before bed.

The bandage is put on while the person is exhaling, otherwise the product will not have any effect.

In no case should this treatment be used without the prescription of a specialist, since, in addition to the fact that there are currently a huge number of completely different orthopedic devices, wearing a bandage has its own contraindications.

Surgical intervention occurs when the disease is already severe and the bandage does not give the desired result. The purpose of surgery is to secure the kidney at the level of the lumbar region, that is, at the normal level for this organ. Currently, such operations are performed using laparoscopy.

In addition to these methods, experts often prescribe a diet. The diet in this case will help remove toxins from the body, speed up metabolism and provide an anti-inflammatory effect.

Prevention of nephroptosis is abdominal massage, therapeutic exercises and spa treatment. These measures help strengthen the abdominal muscles and prevent the body from being in a state in which it would be most prone to developing nephroptosis.

Exercises and nutrition for nephroptosis of the right kidney

In general, nephroptosis of the right kidney is the most common diagnosis among the female population than among the male population. Whose age ranges between 25 and 40 years. Nephroptosis of the left kidney also occurs, but much less frequently. Based on the fact that the ligamentous apparatus on the left side of the organ has a stronger structure than its right side.

• Where to look for the reason
• Symptoms of kidney displacement by stage
• What are the dangers of nephroptosis?
• Conservative treatment
• Healthy diet
• When is surgery necessary?
• Necessary exercises

Therefore, based on these features, it can be noted that the left and right parts of the organ are located in the abdominal cavity at different levels. Since the left one is located just below the right kidney. And only in very rare cases, doctors note, bilateral nephroptosis. If the victim’s organ developed incorrectly due to genetic abnormalities in the renal pelvis system.

In addition, this disease has another more common term, wandering kidney. Denoting a change in the position of an organ when the kidney moves from its usual bed below one or more vertebrae. When the kidney prolapses, the symptoms and treatment depend on the severity of the pathology. Up to the descent of the organ into the pelvic cavity.

Where to look for the reason

What may be the reasons for nephroptosis of the right kidney, when the wandering kidney moves from its usual place. But not by 1 - 1.5 cm, but by a much greater distance, in the first case, if this happens, it is considered the norm. Since the prolapse of the right kidney by 50 mm or more is already considered a dangerous phenomenon requiring treatment.

So, for what reasons does kidney nephroptosis occur:

• In women with asthenic physique.
• Change in the location of the organ due to a decrease in the fat layer of the supporting kidney according to its anatomical position in the abdominal cavity. What is quite often discovered against the backdrop of rapid weight loss is more often observed among young girls.
• The causes of nephroptosis are a sharp sprain of the abdominal ligaments during heavy physical exercise. And also after receiving bruises and kidney injuries.

• A woman’s pregnancy, when absolutely all organs located in the abdominal cavity are displaced. In this case, it becomes much harder for the kidneys.
• Due to genetic underdevelopment of the organ.

When the kidneys prolapse, these reasons are considered the most common. What girls with an asthenic physique are mainly forced to face. After a long labor, during another pregnancy, or due to frequent dietary intake.

As a result, the pressure inside the abdominal cavity drops, the tone of the kidney muscles decreases, and signs of nephroptosis appear. This also becomes typical in case of injury or infection of the organ. Also increasing the risk of sudden rupture of the connective apparatus of the kidneys. A decrease in immunity, a blow to the peritoneum during a fall, can also provoke right-sided nephroptosis or left-sided nephroptosis. Depending on where the blow landed.

Symptoms of kidney displacement by stage

What is kidney nephroptosis? This is a disease associated with kidney prolapse. When, due to stretching of the vessels feeding the organ, a disruption of blood flow occurs in the kidneys. Threatening the patient with the occurrence of stagnation of urine in the body. Which, as a result, makes the internal environment of the genitourinary system more vulnerable to the development of pathogenic bacteria.

In this case, there is a possibility that, against the background of kidney prolapse, a sick person may develop renal pyelonephritis or another viral disease. When a patient begins to feel the following symptoms during the first stage of nephroptosis:

• Prolapse of the kidneys accompanied by general weakness
• Severe pain in the lower back.
• Changes in blood pressure.
• Decreased performance.

At first, the manifestation of these symptoms during kidney prolapse is weaker than during the second or third stage. Accordingly, ailments can only occur when the patient is in an upright position. Which also may not always get worse after physical labor or coughing. And don’t make yourself known at all if the person is lying down.

But at the second stage of the disease, the symptoms of nephroptosis worsen. In this case, the patient feels a passing severe pain from the abdomen to the back. Against the background of changes in renal hemodynamics, tests reveal an increase in protein and red blood cells.

If nephroptosis of the right kidney enters the third stage, the pain turns out to be intolerable and constant, regardless of what position the patient is in. During this period, the victim suffers from frequent vomiting, nausea and abdominal cramps. Gradually, with this condition, the patient develops depression and worsens appetite, and the outflow of urine is disrupted.

What are the dangers of nephroptosis?

For any symptoms of kidney prolapse, it is important to eliminate them earlier through medical intervention. In this case, if the kidney is prolapsed and left untreated for a long period, this may subsequently lead to irreversible consequences. The patient faces not only stagnation of urine, but also the following complications:

• What threatens the prolapse of the kidney, firstly, the development of cystitis, and secondly, pyelonephritis as a result of inflammation of the kidneys.
• The formation of salts in urine with their subsequent increase to larger sizes.
• Large accumulation of urine in the renal pelvis system with hydronephrosis.
• The risk of death of the kidney parenchyma as a result of poor nutrition of the organ.

Conservative treatment

If during the examination the doctor noticed that the right kidney has prolapsed, then in this case, in order to solve the question of how to treat the prolapsed kidney, he begins to draw up a conservative method of treatment for each patient individually.

If the kidney is prolapsed, the attending physician will tell you what to do, prescribing the following conservative treatment methods to the patient:

• Special food.
• Physical therapy exercises aimed at supporting the kidneys.
• Wearing a fixation bandage.
• Treatment of nephroptosis by taking medications to relieve symptoms, restore blood circulation and tone the muscles surrounding the organ.
• Using hydrotherapy methods.

The methods listed above help solve the question of how to raise a drooping kidney. When, due to a correctly established diet of the victim, it is soon possible to return his kidney back to its own bed. By gaining a few kilograms, it helps to thicken the fatty capsule of the kidney, allowing you to eliminate nephroptosis on the right or nephroptosis on the left.

And also during kidney prolapse, treatment for patients to reduce symptoms must comply with the following conditions:

• Lie down more; your legs and pelvis should always be in an elevated state.
• In the morning, before getting out of bed, put on a lumbar tightening bandage.

However, despite this, when starting treatment for kidney prolapse, the bandage should be worn only if recommended by the attending physician. After all, it is he who will determine the period of wearing such underwear. Since when bleeding is determined, in the second or third stage of right-sided nephroptosis, wearing a compression belt can increase pain in the lower back. This will lower the kidney even further.

Healthy diet

As you know, with the gradual prolapse of the right kidney, that is, nephroptosis can negatively affect the functioning of the entire urinary system. When, due to accelerated metabolism and rapid weight loss, the fat layer around the kidneys decreases in volume. Thereby moving the movable organ one or more vertebrae below the usual bed.

Based on this, in order for the treatment of nephroptosis to give positive results, the patient is prescribed enhanced nutrition. But no more than that, but until the effect is achieved when the kidney regains its anatomical place. After all, this is why for many women, when prolapse of the right kidney occurs, it is advisable to carry out the symptoms and treatment of nephroptosis under the supervision of a doctor.

When the following nutritional recommendations may be given:

The kidney is an organ that has mobility. Normally, it can move, but not more than a few centimeters. Kidney prolapse is scientifically called nephroptosis. The pathology is characterized by an abnormal displacement of the organ during any movement of a person two or more vertebrae down. Prolapse of the right kidney is more common than the left one. There is also nephroptosis of the entire paired organ at the same time, but this phenomenon is extremely rare. In the article we will talk about kidney prolapse, symptoms and consequences, causes and methods of treating pathology.

A little anatomy

The fixation device is designed to hold the kidney in its normal position. It includes the following structures:

• Vessels. They play a minor role in fixation of the organ, because with nephroptosis they are able to lengthen.
• Fat capsule. It is a perirenal fatty tissue that performs fixing and protective functions.
• Fascial apparatus. The fascia is located outward from the fat capsule and consists of posterior and anterior layers. They grow together at the upper pole and form a suspensory ligament, which passes into the connective membrane covering the diaphragm. The fascial apparatus plays a minor role in fixation of the kidney.
• Abdominal ligaments. These are folds of the peritoneum covering the organ from the front. The splerenal-renal and pancreatic-renal ligaments fix the left kidney, the duodenal-renal and hepatorenal ligaments are designed to prevent prolapse of the right kidney. You will feel symptoms of nephroptosis if the abdominal ligaments begin to stretch.
• Kidney bed. Formed by the diaphragm, fascia, and muscles of the abdominal wall.

Causes of nephroptosis

The normal amplitude of kidney movement is two to five centimeters (often 3.5 centimeters). But there are certain pathological factors that weaken the fixing apparatus, as a result of which the mobility of the organ increases and the kidney prolapses.

In youth, nephroptosis can be caused by poor nutrition. Also, provoking factors can be incorrectly selected physical activity and excessive sports, leading to sudden changes in intra-abdominal pressure. Infectious diseases that occur chronically and are accompanied by weight loss can lead to depletion of the fat capsule that protects the organ from movement.

Kidney prolapse may also be associated with improper organization of work, characterized by long-term exposure of a person to vibration conditions. In addition, nephroptosis often develops as a result of injuries, especially after falls from a height, in which the integrity of the ligaments and fascia is disrupted. In this case, fixation of the kidney becomes untenable. Perinephric hematomas resulting from injury to the lumbar region or abdomen can also displace the organ.

Nephroptosis and pregnancy

Women who have already given birth are more likely to develop kidney prolapse than those who have not given birth. This is due to a sharp decrease in intra-abdominal pressure after pregnancy due to weakening of the abdominal muscles. As a result, the fixing apparatus is also weakened, and this is a factor predisposing to nephroptosis. The risk of pathology directly depends on the size of the abdomen during pregnancy, the degree of stretching of the anterior wall of the peritoneum, and the number of births experienced.

Kidney prolapse: symptoms

Patients often do not notice any signs of pathology, and it is usually discovered by chance during examination. Indeed, the clinical manifestations of nephroptosis if it occurs without disruption of hemo- and urodynamics are extremely scarce. The severity of symptoms mainly depends on the degree of prolapse. Based on the clinical manifestations and characteristics of the course of the pathology, three stages of nephroptosis are distinguished.

First stage

One third of the kidney becomes accessible for palpation. Its lower edge can be felt at the height of inhalation, and when exhaling it goes into the hypochondrium. This stage occurs without a pronounced clinical picture. If the organ descends seven centimeters or more, dull pain may occur, radiating to the lumbar region. Their occurrence is associated with stretching of the fascial capsule.

Second stage

Almost the entire organ emerges from under the costal arch. The kidney in a vertical position of the body becomes two-thirds accessible for palpation, but as before, when it assumes a horizontal position, it returns to the renal bed. As the degree of displacement increases, the symptoms also increase. The pain becomes more intense, reminiscent of renal colic. Unpleasant sensations arise both with a sudden change in body position and during physical activity. In addition, changes in the urine are observed: the level of red blood cells and protein increases, which indicates stagnation of blood in the kidney due to impaired venous outflow.

Third stage

The entire organ emerges from under the costal arch, descending down to the pelvis. The pain becomes constant and often spreads to the groin area. Nausea and vomiting may occur. At this time, complications are already developing, including hydronephrosis and arterial hypertension. Due to such complications, as well as due to long-term disruption of the blood supply, fornical bleeding may occur during urination. There is a risk of the patient developing psycho-emotional disorders: neurasthenia, insomnia, depression, attacks of dizziness, overexcitability, increased fatigue, decreased appetite.

Diagnosis of nephroptosis

In the early stages, as already mentioned, kidney prolapse is often detected by chance, although the patient may consult a doctor with complaints of periodic lower back pain. The main diagnostic method is urography (x-ray examination with contrast). It is carried out in horizontal and vertical positions. In this way, the degree of nephroptosis can be reliably determined. At a later stage of pathology, when red blood cells are already present in the urine, the most informative diagnostic method is veno- and arteriography (studies of the renal vessels). They are carried out in a vertical position. This method makes it possible to accurately determine how much blood circulation is impaired in the vessels of the organ.

Kidney prolapse: treatment

Nephroptosis can be treated conservatively and surgically. If you choose the first option, you will not be able to eliminate the pathology, but you can prevent unpleasant consequences. The patient should perform special exercises and eat vigorously (but at the same time properly).

The operation is prescribed only when there are severe pains and complications that prevent a person from moving and deprive him of his ability to work, such as renovascular hypertension, hydronephrotic transformation, pyelonephritis, fornical bleeding, progressive pyelectasia.

Conservative therapy

The first thing the doctor prescribes is to wear a bandage for prolapsed kidneys. If you start using it at an early stage of nephroptosis, you can protect yourself from the progression of the pathology and the development of complications. Only in a horizontal position while exhaling should you put on a bandage, do this after waking up, even before getting out of bed.

It is also necessary to perform special exercises when the kidney prolapses in order to strengthen the muscles of the anterior wall of the peritoneum. The most effective exercise is the “swallow”. Lie on your stomach on a hard surface and very slowly lift your legs together, arms and head outstretched. Lock this position and hold it for a while, and then slowly return to the starting position. Rest a little and repeat the exercise. You need to do at least fifteen to twenty repetitions, then lie on your stomach for a couple of minutes without moving, then turn on your back and rest for at least half an hour. At first you will feel pain in the kidney area, but it will decrease each time. But remember: what you are going to do must be agreed with your doctor.

ethnoscience

As you already understand, neither medication nor exercise can eliminate kidney prolapse. Treatment with folk remedies will also not return the organ to its place, but it can prevent and eliminate numerous complications.

• For nephroptosis, knotweed infusion should be used. Take it three times a day, one hundred grams, half an hour before meals.
• It’s worth trying this method: sprinkle a handful of flaxseed with water and sprinkle with half a teaspoon of powdered sugar, then fry it all a little in an ungreased frying pan. Chew the seeds like regular sunflower seeds whenever you want. It is also very useful to take sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and any nuts.
• Pour two tablespoons of kochia broom (herb) into a thermos, pour one and a half cups of boiling water and leave overnight. The next morning, strain the resulting infusion and drink fifty milligrams between meals.
• Using scissors, finely chop one kilogram of oat straw and add twenty liters of water. Boil for an hour over low heat, then cover and leave for another two hours. Use the resulting decoction warm in the mornings and evenings (every other day). Baths should be taken after basic water procedures have been completed. The infusion can be used several times.
• To improve immunity, take echinacea tincture, eleutherococcus extract, and multivitamins.

Surgery

As a result of the operation, the kidney is fixed, that is, its pathological mobility is eliminated. As already mentioned, nephroptosis is not always an indication for surgical intervention, but only in the presence of serious complications. Before the operation, as a rule, three days before the operation, the patient is recommended to sleep on a bed with the foot end slightly raised. This helps return the organ to its normal position and facilitates the process.

During surgery, the kidney is fixed to the muscles of the abdominal wall. There are several methods; the choice of a specific method is based on the clinical picture. After the operation, the patient should also lie on a bed with the leg end elevated. This is necessary for a faster and more successful recovery. This regimen should be followed for several days, after which the bed is returned to its normal position, and the patient is allowed to get up and walk.

Anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out for another two weeks after surgery. At this time, the patient should avoid sudden or prolonged straining during bowel movements. If necessary, you can use microenemas or mild laxatives. It should be noted that in almost all patients the operation is successful.

Consequences of nephroptosis

Kidney prolapse is a pathology that requires mandatory treatment. Otherwise, the likelihood of developing unwanted complications is extremely high. Nephroptosis provokes a violation of urinary outflow, which, in turn, leads to an increase in intravenous fluid. Even during the period when the pathology does not yet manifest itself, complications may already arise in the renal parenchyma.

When the normal outflow of urine from the kidney is disrupted, a dangerous disease develops - pyelonephritis. It can disrupt a person’s normal life, and sometimes the symptoms are so painful that emergency medical attention is required.

Kidney prolapse can cause hypertension, which increases the risk of stroke. Among other things, nephroptosis often leads to the formation of kidney stones. The pathology is dangerous for women in case of pregnancy: due to prolapse of the organ, spontaneous miscarriage can occur.

Nephroptosis- this is pathological mobility of the right, left, or two kidneys at once. If the organ moves beyond the anatomical bed slightly, the disease is asymptomatic. If hemo- and urodynamics are disrupted, pain in the lumbar region, pyelonephritis, hematuria, hydronephrosis, arterial hypertension, and nephrolithiasis appear.

It should be noted that not every displacement of the kidneys falls under the concept of nephroptosis. Normally, during physical activity or during the act of breathing, they can shift to the height of one lumbar vertebra. If the downward displacement of the kidney with a vertical body position exceeds 2 cm, and with forced breathing - 3-5 cm, we can talk about nephroptosis (wandering kidney).

The disease occurs more often in women and, as a rule, is right-sided.

Degrees of nephroptosis

According to the criterion of kidney displacement relative to the physiological norm, three degrees of nephroptosis are distinguished:

• with nephroptosis of the 1st degree, the lower pole of the organ descends by 1.5 lumbar vertebrae;
• with nephroptosis of the 2nd degree, the kidney descends more than 2 lumbar vertebrae;
• with nephroptosis of the 3rd degree, prolapse of the lower pole of the kidney by 3 or more lumbar vertebrae is diagnosed.

Clinical manifestations of the disease do not always characterize the degree of prolapse.

Causes of nephroptosis

Nephroptosis is an acquired disease. Its development provokes a pathological change in the apparatus that holds the kidney. This refers to the peritoneal ligaments, intrinsic fascial and fatty structures, and the renal bed. The mobility of the organ can also be caused by a decrease in its fat capsule and abnormal position of the joints of the renal pedicle.

Other common causes of nephroptosis include:

• sudden loss of body weight;
• performing heavy physical work;
• low muscle tone of the abdominal wall;
• doing strength sports;
• lumbar spine injuries.

Right-sided, left-sided and bilateral nephroptosis can be combined with congenital skeletal anomalies:

• underdevelopment of the ribs;
• violation of the position of the lumbar spine,
• lack of ribs.

In adolescents, kidney prolapse occurs due to a rapid change in body proportions during a period of rapid growth.

The best doctors for the treatment of nephroptosis

If you experience similar symptoms, consult your doctor immediately. It is easier to prevent a disease than to deal with the consequences.

Diagnosis of nephroptosis

Diagnosis of nephroptosis of the left or right kidney is based on:

• inspection data;
• patient complaints;
• results of instrumental and laboratory diagnostics.

If there is a suspicion of kidney prolapse, all studies are carried out with the patient standing and lying down.

• Polypositional palpation of the abdomen makes it possible to assess the displacement and mobility of the kidney.
• Monitoring and measuring blood pressure shows an increase of 15-30 mmHg. Art. when changing body position from horizontal to vertical.
• Urinalysis for kidney nephroptosis shows leukocyturia, erythrocyturia, bacteriuria, proteinuria.
• Ultrasound of the kidneys, performed in a standing and lying position, allows you to study the location of the kidneys and exclude the presence of inflamed tissues and stones.
• Ultrasound diagnostics of kidney vessels is necessary to assess blood flow indicators, visualize the vascular bed of the organ, and determine the degree of hemodynamic impairment.
• Renal venography and angiography are required to examine venous blood flow and the renal artery.
• Radioisotope dynamic nephroscintigraphy is carried out to determine the disturbance of urine passage and the functioning of the organ as a whole.
• Excretory urography is aimed at nephroptosis to determine the degree of pathological prolapse of the kidney in relation to the vertebrae.

If you need to check whether there is displacement of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, additionally, radiography of the stomach, colonoscopy, irrigoscopy, and endoscopy are performed.

Treatment of nephroptosis

Nephroptosis of the 1st degree requires conservative therapy. The patient is recommended to wear special orthopedic devices - corsets, belts, bandages. Also mandatory is therapeutic exercises aimed at strengthening the abdominal and back muscles. If the patient is underweight, he should eat heavily. Physical activity should be limited.

Nephroptosis of the 2nd and 3rd degrees, accompanied by severe pain in the lumbar region, nephrolithiasis, pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis, urodynamics, requires nephropexy - a surgical operation performed to fix the kidney to the adjacent area of ​​the posterior abdominal wall and the twelfth rib. After treatment, the patient must remain in bed for a long time.

Contraindications to surgical treatment of right-sided and left-sided nephroptosis are:

• splanchnoptosis;
• elderly age;
• heavy intercurrent background.

Therapeutic exercises for nephroptosis

Exercise therapy helps improve the well-being of a patient with kidney nephroptosis. Some of the safest and most effective exercises include:

• alternately raising straight legs up (starting position - lying on the floor).
• "Bike";
• alternately pulling the legs bent at the knees towards the stomach in a lying position;
• breathing with the diaphragm while lying on the floor. When you inhale, stick your stomach out, and when you exhale, pull it in;
• raising straight legs up, followed by spreading the knees to the sides as you inhale and crossing them as you exhale;
• raising your leg up while lying on your side.

The danger of nephroptosis

When the kidney prolapses, the normal outflow of urine from the renal structures is disrupted. This leads to increased intrarenal pressure and impaired blood circulation in the organ. As a result, hydronephrotic transformation of the kidney may develop.

Another dangerous complication of nephroptosis is pyelonephritis, which can be acute with severe pain. Torsion of the renal arteries often leads to arterial hypertension, which manifests itself as difficult-to-treat hypertension.

A wandering kidney can provoke the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the surrounding perinephric tissue, which promotes the development of adhesions between fatty tissue, the kidney capsule and other organs. Scar connections make the kidney poorly mobile and fix it at an even lower level.

In pregnant women, nephroptosis can cause spontaneous miscarriages.

Risk group for nephroptosis

Most often, nephroptosis is diagnosed in individuals with systemic weakness of the ligamentous apparatus and connective tissue:

• myopia;
• visceroptosis;
• joint hypermobility.

People of certain professions are susceptible to the disease:

• loaders (due to carrying heavy loads);
• drivers (due to vibration occurring during driving);
• hairdressers, surgeons (since they spend a lot of time on their feet), etc.

Prevention of nephroptosis

Prevention of nephroptosis includes:

• proper nutrition, reducing the amount of salt consumed;
• correct posture;
• prevention of lumbar injuries;
• strengthening the abdominal muscles;
• refusal of heavy physical work.

This article is posted for educational purposes only and does not constitute scientific material or professional medical advice.

Nephroptosis is a urological disease that affects the urinary system, resulting in active mobility of the organ and its gradual prolapse. A wandering kidney (nephroptosis) is the first sign of urolithiasis, arterial hypertension, pyelonephritis, hepatic colic and other urological diseases. In this article we will tell you why a floating kidney is dangerous, we will analyze the symptoms of the pathology and treatment methods.

Characteristics of nephroptosis

There are acceptable standards for organ mobility; they allow the kidney to shift by 1-2 vertebrae during the process of breathing and changing posture. If this norm exceeds the permissible value, nephroptosis or kidney mobility is established. Pathology can occur in two ways:

• fixed nephroptosis- a characteristic feature is the prolapse of the organ and its strong fixation;
• - a characteristic feature is vertical displacement and constant movement of the organ from side to side.

For information! The pathology “walking kidney” is quite complex and has various complications.

According to statistics, women suffer from this disease more often than men, this is caused by a peculiarity of the anatomical structure. As a rule, the disease manifests itself in adulthood. Displacement of the right kidney occurs more often than the left; this is due to a physiological feature and the underdeveloped fixation apparatus of the organ.

For information! Only 10% of nephroptosis is bilateral.

It is worth noting that fixation of the kidneys in a certain place occurs subject to such factors as:

• presence of renal fascia;
• support of the renal bed, consisting of the quadratus lumbar and psoas muscles;
• the renal vascular system, which provides interaction with the aorta and inferior vena cava.

Factors affecting kidney mobility

As already mentioned, the right kidney is most susceptible to mobility; in the process of its displacement, the connecting plates and the angle between them increase in size. This disorder is caused by a physiological feature of the structure of the organ. The main factors influencing the formation of kidney mobility include:

• predisposition, heredity to the formation of pathology;
• injuries, bruises, damage to kidney tissue;
• feeling of tension during bowel movements;
• physical exercises, jumping;
• long walking;
• constant and intense coughing attacks;
• low weight, reduction in body fat with sudden weight loss;
• weakened, stretched abdominal walls during the second and subsequent pregnancy;
• untrained muscle mass of the abdominal wall.

Symptoms of the disease

The main difficulty in identifying nephroptosis is the absence of characteristic and pronounced symptoms. As a rule, the development, course, variations and severity of the symptom complex are individual in each case. The most common symptoms include:

• fatigue, weakness, insomnia, frequent dizziness;
• constipation, diarrhea, feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, bloating, decreased or complete lack of appetite;
• frequent mood swings, hysteria, hypochondria, neuralgia of the femoral, regional and sciatic nerves;
• the presence of hematuria, increased and rapid heartbeat, sudden jumps in blood pressure;
• the formation of pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis, pain similar to renal colic, heaviness in the affected side of the lower back, the presence of protein in urine is possible;
• pain in the kidney area, the main feature is the disappearance or reduction in the lying position.

For information! Increased mobility on the right affects the right side, on the left - the left side.

Stages of nephroptosis

There are three main stages of a prolapsed kidney, which are characterized by certain symptoms. Stages of nephroptosis:

• Stage 1 - it is characterized by the kidney extending to a third of the hypochondrium; this deviation is clearly palpable when inhaling, but when exhaling it returns to its original position;
• Stage 2 - accompanied by mobility of the organ, which is easily palpated in a standing position, due to its complete exit from the hypochondrium. In the supine position, the organ returns to its original position;
• Stage 3 - the kidney extends completely beyond the hypochondrium and shifts to the pelvic area, as a result of which the ureter bends, the renal-pelvic system expands and hypoxia and stagnation of urine develop.

Important! When the kidney walks, bending, stretching and twisting of the renal vessels occurs, this occurs due to the strong mobility of the organ around its stem.

Any disturbance of the vascular system of the kidneys causes urostasis, venous insufficiency, stagnation of urine, and also creates a favorable environment for the formation of infection of the urinary system.

Diagnostics

To confirm or refute the diagnosis of nephroptosis, the attending physician prescribes a comprehensive diagnosis and laboratory testing. The diagnostic complex consists of:

• anamnesis consisting of possible kidney injuries, hereditary predisposition, heavy physical work causing nephroptosis;
• thorough clarification of symptoms, in case of sudden weight loss, establishing a connection between pathology and changes in the patient’s health;
• palpation of the organ in a vertical and horizontal position, the kidney can be easily palpated;
• undergoing excretory urography, which allows you to determine the stage of the disease, structure, size, degree of displacement and severe kidney dysfunction;
• ultrasound examination, which helps determine the exact location of the organ and its structural changes;
• duplex diagnostics and angiography, which helps determine pathological disorders;
• Isotope renography allows us to identify the functional state.

For information! A survey x-ray allows you to exclude the possibility of prolapse or displacement of other abdominal organs.

You can learn more about diagnosing a prolapsed kidney from the video

Treatment methods

Drug treatment for nephroptosis is not provided, therefore, as a rule, drug relief of pathological complications is used.

For information! Early diagnosis of a wandering kidney allows the organ to be returned to its place using a special medical bandage.

The treatment method for nephroptosis consists of symptomatic, etiological and palliative methods.

Symptomatic method

The main task of the method is to eliminate individual symptoms that have arisen, namely:

• elimination of neuralgia with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs, multivitamins that contain vitamin B;
• elimination of infection in the urinary system using antimicrobial agents;
• the development and progression of pain is eliminated with the help of analgesics and antispasmodics.

Etiological method

Etiological treatment involves surgical intervention; it is carried out quite rarely and as a last resort, when none of the methods helps. During the operation, the doctor fixes the kidney using special fibers of the psoas muscle. In scientific language, this operation is called nephropexy.

For information! In modern medicine, laparoscopy is used as a surgical intervention.

Palliative method

The main objective of the technique is aimed at quickly eliminating pain, discomfort and suffering of the patient. The essence of the therapy is to constantly wear a medical bandage or corset, which tightly fixes the organ and prevents it from moving around.

For information! The disadvantage of a medical bandage is that wearing it for a long time weakens the abdominal and back muscles.

Additionally, a specialist may prescribe physical therapy and procedures in a sanatorium-resort setting. In any case, treatment and selection of medications are prescribed only after undergoing comprehensive diagnostics and laboratory testing.

Remember, successful therapy depends on timely diagnosis and its further prevention and exclusion of relapse of the pathology. An advanced form of renal pathology has a negative impact on the weight of the human body and causes irreversible disturbances in all important processes.