What causes an enlarged kidney?!
Question:
What causes an enlarged kidney?
My daughter went to the hospital, the ER DR. said the mri showed an enlarged kidney, she has been having side pain. She has a Dr. appointment today. What questions should I ask?
What should I be aware of?
Answers:
How old is your daughter?? Most of the time, a kidney is enlarged because there is some sort of blockage that won't allow urine to drain properly. If she is young (toddler age or younger), a possible cause is a faulty valve between her bladder and kidney which allows for "reflux" (allows urine to go in the "wrong" direction, from the bladder to the kidney) - she may need antibiotics to ward off infections but this is something that normally resolves as the child grows older. Has she had a fever or other signs of a kidney infection? (Why did you take her to the ER in the first place?) It is also possible that she has a kidney stone or something else that is obstructing flow of urine from her kidney to her bladder.
If your appointment is not with a nephrologist, then you may want to ask for a referral to a nephrologist. You may want to ask if there is any protein in her urine - this is a sign that the kidneys are currently under stress or may have been damaged (although if she currently has a bladder or kidney infection, that could cause protein in the urine as well). You also may want to ask about the levels of creatinine and BUN in her blood as this is an index of how well her kidney is functioning. Good luck at the Dr today!