Ureteropelvic junction stenosis (JUP), also known as pilolateral junction obstruction, is a blockage of the urinary tract, where a part of the ureter, the channel that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder, is thinner than normal, preventing urine. flow properly into the bladder, accumulating in the kidneys.
JUP is usually diagnosed even during pregnancy or shortly after birth because it is a congenital disease, allowing proper treatment as quickly as possible and reducing the risk of kidney overload and therefore loss of kidney function.
- Some signs of JUP stenosis include swelling.
- Pain and recurrent urinary tract infections.
- Which can lead in severe cases to the loss of the affected kidney.
- So the recommended treatment is surgery.
Symptoms of JUP stenosis may appear in childhood, but it is not uncommon for them to appear in adolescence or adulthood. The most common symptoms may include:
Confirmation of suspected JUP is done by imaging tests, such as renal scans, x-rays, and ultrasounds, which are used to differentiate significant obstruction, when urine cannot pass from the kidney to the bladder and requires surgical correction, renal pielocalial dilation, which is a swelling of the kidney, for example, in which surgery is not indicated. Find out what pyococcal dilation is and how treatment is done.
If JUP is suspected, it is important to consult a nephrologist, as a late diagnosis can result in the loss of the affected kidney.
The causes of JUP stenosis are still unknown, but in most cases it is a congenital problem, that is, the person was born as well. However, there are causes of COMP obstruction that can also be triggered by kidney stones, blood clots in the ureter, or schistosomiasis, for example.
In rare cases, the reason for stenosis may be due to trauma to the abdomen, such as bumps or accidents that have a significant impact on this area.
Treatment of JUP stenosis is done by surgery called pyloplasty and aims to restore normal urine flow between the kidney and ureter. The surgery lasts two hours, general anesthesia is applied, after about 3 days of hospitalization, the person can go home and, in most cases, the kidney recovers from the injury he suffers.
JUP stenosis does not affect fertility, so it is possible to get pregnant. However, it is necessary to check the degree of kidney damage, if the woman has high blood pressure or if proteinuria levels are high. If these values are changed, there is an increased risk of problems during pregnancy, such as premature birth or maternal death, and therefore the nephrologist may discourage pregnancy.