What is kidney reflux

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How common is vesicoureteral reflux? What are the symptoms and complications of vesicoureteral reflux? What causes vesicoureteral reflux? Secondary vesicoureteral reflux How do doctors diagnose vesicoureteral reflux?

How do doctors treat vesicoureteral reflux? Can I prevent vesicoureteral reflux? Clinical Trials What is vesicoureteral reflux? VUR causes urine to flow back up through the urinary tract, often leading to urinary tract infections. Who is more likely to have vesicoureteral reflux? A child with VUR is more likely to have UTIs, including bladder or kidney infections other bladder problems, such as urinary incontinence , bedwetting , and urinary retention bowel problems, such as constipation Most children with VUR who get a UTI recover without other problems.

In children with primary VUR, the valve between the ureter and the bladder does not close well, so urine comes back up the ureter toward the kidney. Secondary vesicoureteral reflux Children can have secondary VUR for many reasons, including a blockage or narrowing in the bladder neck or urethra. How do doctors diagnose vesicoureteral reflux? To diagnose the grade of VUR, doctors use imaging tests.

An ultrasound uses sound waves to look inside the body without exposing your child to x-ray radiation. An ultrasound of the abdomen , called an abdominal ultrasound, can create images of the entire urinary tract, including the kidneys and bladder. During this painless test, your child lies on a padded table. No anesthesia is needed. Ultrasound may be used to look for kidney and urinary tract problems after a child has had a UTI.

Voiding cystourethrogram VCUG. A VCUG uses x-rays of the bladder and urethra to show if urine flows backward into the ureters. A UTI may be difficult to diagnose in children, who may have only nonspecific signs and symptoms. Signs and symptoms in infants with a UTI may also include:. Another indication of vesicoureteral reflux, which may be detected before birth by sonogram, is swelling of the kidneys or the urine-collecting structures of one or both kidneys hydronephrosis in the fetus, caused by the backup of urine into the kidneys.

Contact your doctor right away if your child develops any of the signs or symptoms of a UTI , such as:. Your urinary system includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. All play a role in removing waste products from your body via urine. Tubes called ureters carry urine from your kidneys down to your bladder, where it is stored until it exits the body through another tube the urethra during urination.

Primary vesicoureteral reflux. Children with primary vesicoureteral reflux are born with a defect in the valve that normally prevents urine from flowing backward from the bladder into the ureters.

Primary vesicoureteral reflux is the more common type. As your child grows, the ureters lengthen and straighten, which may improve valve function and eventually correct the reflux.

This type of vesicoureteral reflux tends to run in families, which indicates that it may be genetic, but the exact cause of the defect is unknown.

Kidney damage is the primary concern with vesicoureteral reflux. The more severe the reflux, the more serious the complications are likely to be. Vesicoureteral reflux care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Female urinary system Open pop-up dialog box Close. Female urinary system Your urinary system — which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — removes waste from your body through urine. Male urinary system Open pop-up dialog box Close. Male urinary system Your urinary system — which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — removes waste from your body through urine.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Kliegman RM, et al. However, most children will get better as they grow older. Therefore, your child may be treated with antibiotics to prevent infection.

Only one child in ten will contract an infection when taking antibiotics. Sometimes it is hard to decide what is best for your child.

If your doctor suggests surgery, you may want to get a second opinion from a pediatric urologist, who specializes in reflux conditions in children. Most American children's hospitals have one of these doctors on staff. The doctor should evaluate other possible causes of reflux, such as voiding disorders, which usually cause a loss of bladder control. Some children's hospitals have training programs to help children develop better urination control.

Once the reflux condition is corrected, it is very rare for a child to contract it again. However, if the kidneys have been damaged, high blood pressure may surface later in life.

The risk of high blood pressure is about 10 percent if one kidney has been damaged and about 20 percent if both kidneys have been damaged.

Most children do not have serious kidney damage from reflux, but some do. A small number will go on to have kidney failure later in life. Researchers are trying to find easier ways to combat reflux.