About Kidney & Urologic Diseases

This site contains information from government publications about kidney & urologic diseases that have been reformatted and reorganized. There are numerous links to the original documents.

The goal is to make the information easier to find and to allow the sharing of information between users.

This is a very big undertaking and you can help me help others. Please add your comments or questions to any topic that concerns you. If you know of additional resources please include links to them.

I am especially looking for:

• Experiences of kidney and urologic patients
• Experiences of family members of kidney and urologic patients
• Experiences of kidney and urologic caregivers
• Experiences of kidney and urologic physicians
• Experiences of kidney and urologic researchers

• Information about specific kidney and urologic products
• Information about specific kidney and urologic treatments
• Information about specific kidney and urologic medications
• Information about hospitals specializing in the treatment of kidney and urologic diseases
• Information about clinics specializing in the treatment of kidney and urologic diseases
• Information about physicians specializing in the treatment of kidney and urologic diseases

If possible please include:

• Links to kidney and urologic websites
• Links to chronic kidney disease websites
• Links to hemodialysis websites
• Links to peritoneal dialysis (PD) websites
• Links to websites for children with kidney disease and their parents
• Links to kidney transplant websites
• Links to sites for caregivers and family members of people with kidney disease
  
• Links to kidney and urologic blogs
• Links to kidney and urologic news articles
• Links to kidney and urologic research articles

Drug protects kidneys of people with diabetes

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Kidney damage is a constant danger for people with diabetes, especially when their blood pressure is high. Now European researchers report that the addition of a drug, spironolactone, to standard blood pressure-lowering therapy for such patients helps reduce both blood pressure and the amount of albumin protein in urine, a measure of kidney impairment.

Dr. Kaspar Rossing of Steno Diabetes Center in Gentofte, Denmark, and colleagues note in the medical journal Diabetes Care that two types of antihypertensive drugs -- ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) -- have protective effects on the kidneys in diabetics who already have kidney damage.

These drugs work by controlling the release of a hormone called aldosterone. While they're effective initially, aldosterone levels may subsequently rise once more in almost 40 percent of patients, resulting in greater urinary protein levels and a faster decline in kidney function.

full story>>>

Implantable artificial kidney moves closer

AMES, Iowa, Aug 31, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Researchers say they've developed a human nephron filter that might make possible a continuously functioning, wearable or implantable artificial kidney.

Acute renal failure surprisingly common

Acute renal failure surprisingly common

The first multinational study of acute renal failure has found the condition occurs more frequently in intensive-care units than previously thought and is caused most often by septic shock.

Experiences of Dialysis Patients Sites

These sites have experiences of dialysis patients. If you are on dialysis or facing dialysis, they should provide some help.

• Renalrelating



• Alan Barnes



• DialysisEthics.org

Dialysis Patient Family Member Experiences Sites

These sites contain experiences of family members of dialysis patients. If you have a family member on dialysis or facing dialysis treatments, they should prove helpful.

• Renalrelating



• Barnes Family

Kidney Disease Caregiver and Family Support Sites

These are some of the best sites for families and caregivers of people with kidney disease. If you know of others please share them by clicking on "comments" below.

• Nephkids Cyber Support Group


• National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)

Kidney Transplant Websites

These are some of the best kidney transplant websites I've been able to find. If you know of others, please click on "comments" below to let me know.

• United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)


• Donate Life


• A Patient's Guide to Kidney Transplant Surgery

List of Kidney Disease Websites for Children and Parents

These are the some of the best kidney disease sites for children and their parents. If you know about any others, please click on "comments" below to let me know.

• Nephkids


• National Kidney Foundation (NKF)


• Kidney Directions


• Children's Organ Transplant Association

Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Websites

These are the best peritoneal dialysis (PD) websites I've found. If you know of any more please click on "comments" below to let me know about them.

• Dialysis Facility Compare
• DialysisEthics.org
• Dialysis Units in the USA
• Independent Dialysis Foundation
• International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis - ISPD
• Kidney Directions
• NHS Direct Online Health Encyclopaedia
• RenalWEB
• National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
• Kidney School
• Kidney Directions
• The Forum of Forum of End Stage Renal Disease Networks (ESRD) Networks
• American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)

Hemodialysis Websites

These are some of the best sites I've found for hemodialysis patients and their families. If you know of other sites please let me know by clicking on "comments" below.

• Dialysis Facility Compare
• DialysisEthics.org
• Dialysis Units in the USA
• Independent Dialysis Foundation
• Kidney Directions
• NHS Direct Online Health Encyclopaedia
• RenalWEB
• National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC)
• National Kidney Foundation
• Life Options
• Kidney School™
• Home Dialysis Central
• Forum of End Stage Renal Disease Networks
• America Kidney Fund (AKF)
• American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)

Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas Performs it’s First Islet Cell Transplant

This procedure offers hope for reducing the number of people who need kidney transplants by offering an effective treatment for juvenile onset diabetes.

Baylor received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin a research study of islet cell transplantation in July 2004. Fifteen patients, both men and women, between the ages of 18 and 65 will be enrolled in the study. Nationwide, more than one million people have Type 1 (juvenile onset) diabetes, and, each year, nearly 130,000 people receive kidney transplants as a result of the disease.

Chronic Kidney Disease Websites

This is a list of sites that have useful information about chronic kidney disease. If you know of other chronic kidney disease sites please let me know by clicking "comments" below.

• Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation


• National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse


• National Kidney Foundation (NKF) - Kidney Learning System


• Life Options


• Kidney School™


• Home Dialysis Central


• healthfinder®


• American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Dialysis Nurse Donates Kidney to Patient

Think you are dedicated to your job? A dialysis nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis donated a kidney to one of her patients.

"I felt that I'm healthy and I've been given so much in my life," Plozizka said. "I see all these people who are so sick. I thought there's no reason why I shouldn't I donate a kidney to one of them. It would be my way to give back."

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is one of the leading kidney transplant centers in the country, with one of the lowest rates of rejection. The center averages about 120-130 transplants per year, about 45 percent of those from living donors.

Click here for the full story about this exceptional dialysis nurse.

Kidney & Urologic Diseases Discussion Topics

This is a list of the main kidney & urologic diseases topics covered at this site so far.

Your Medicines and Bladder Control
Your Body's Design for Bladder Control
What Your Female Patients Want to Know About Bladder Control
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Vascular Access for Hemodialysis
Urinary Tract Infections in Children
Urinary Incontinence in Women
Urodynamic Testing
Prostate Problems Discussion
Talking About Bladder Control
Solitary Kidney
Sexual and Urologic Problems of Diabetes
Children With Kidney Failure
Proteinuria
Prostatitis: Disorders of the Prostate
Prevent Diabetes Problems
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Bladder Control
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Peyronie's Disease Discussion
Peritoneal Dialysis Dose and Adequacy
Peritoneal Dialysis Discussion
Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Women
Overview of Kidney Diseases in Children
Nerve Disease and Bladder Control
Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults
Menopause and Bladder Control
Lupus Nephritis Discussion
Kidney Transplantation
Kidney Stone Primer
Kidney Stones in Adults
Interstitial Cystitis
Pyelonephritis (Kidney Infection) in Adults
Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
Urinary Incontinence in Men
Imaging of the Urinary Tract
IgA Nephropathy
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
Hemodialysis Dose and Adequacy
Treatments for Kidney Failure: Hemodialysis
Growth Failure in Children With Kidney Disease
Goodpasture's Syndrome Discussion
Financial Help for Treatment of Kidney Failure
Exercising Your Pelvic Muscles
Erectile Dysfunction Discussion
Kidney Failure Treatments
Diabetes Insipidus
Hemodialysis Diet
Kidney Disease of Diabetes Discussion
Simple Kidney Cysts Discussion
Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy Discussion
Cystocele (Fallen Bladder)
Urinary Tract Infections Discussion
Childhood Nephrotic Syndrome Discussion
Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Hematuria (Blood in the Urine) Discussion
High Blood Pressure and Kidney Disease Discussion
Renal Osteodystrophy
Bladder Control for Women
Medical Tests for Prostate Problems
Kidney Biopsy Information
Urinary Incontinence in Children
Anemia in Kidney Disease and Dialysis
Your Urinary System and How It Works
Your Kidneys and How They Work
Analgesic Nephropathy (Painkillers and the Kidneys)
Amyloidosis and Kidney Disease
Glomerular Diseases
Renal Tubular Acidosis

Your Medicines and Bladder Control

If so, one cause of your problem may be sitting in your medicine cabinet. Medicines (drugs) can cause people to lose bladder control.

Do not stop taking any medicine without talking to your doctor. If your medicine is causing your bladder problem, your doctor may find another medicine. If you need to keep taking the same medicine, your doctor can help you find another way to regain bladder control.

Click here for more information about medicines and bladder control.

Your Body's Design for Bladder Control

Why learn about bladder control?

Good bladder control sounds simple. Just hold on until you get to the bathroom.

It sounds simple. But good bladder control takes teamwork from many organs, muscles, and nerves in your body.

Click here for more information about your body's design for bladder control.

What Your Female Patients Want to Know About Bladder Control

Women and their health professionals share one thing in common: a surprising number would rather not talk about urinary incontinence (UI). Patients may hope their doctors bring up the topic, while their doctors may hope their patients don't. All this silence can lead to more serious medical and psychosocial problems.

Click here for more information about talking to female bladder control patients.

Vesicoureteral Reflux

Urine normally flows in one direction--down from the kidneys, through tubes called ureters, to the bladder. Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is the abnormal flow of urine from the bladder back into the ureters.

Click here for more vesicoureteral reflux information.

Vascular Access for Hemodialysis

If you will be starting hemodialysis treatments in the next several months, you will need to work with your health care team to learn how the treatments work and what you can do to get the most from them. One important step before starting regular hemodialysis sessions is preparing a vascular access, which is the site on your body where blood will be removed and returned during dialysis. To maximize the amount of blood cleansed during hemodialysis, the vascular access should provide high volumes of blood flow continuously during treatments.

A vascular access should be prepared weeks or months before you start dialysis. It will allow easier and more efficient removal and replacement of your blood with fewer complications. There are three basic kinds of vascular accesses for hemodialysis: an arteriovenous (AV) fistula, an AV graft, and a venous catheter. A fistula is an opening or connection between any two parts of the body that are usually separate, for example, a hole in the tissue that normally separates the bladder from the bowel. While most kinds of fistula are a problem, an AV fistula is useful because it causes the vein to grow large and strong for easy access to the blood system. The AV fistula is considered the best long-term vascular access for hemodialysis because it provides adequate blood flow for dialysis, lasts a long time, and has a complication rate lower than the other access types. If an AV fistula cannot be created, an AV graft or venous catheter may be needed.

Click here for more vascular access for hemodialysis information.

Urinary Tract Infections in Children

After unexpected wetting, the most common urinary problem among children is infections. An estimated 3 percent of girls and 1 percent of boys have had a urinary tract infection (UTI) by the age of 11. Some researchers believe these estimates are low because many cases of UTI go undetected. The symptoms are not always obvious to parents, and younger children are usually unable to describe how they feel. Recognizing and treating urinary tract infections is important. Untreated UTIs can lead to serious kidney problems that could threaten the life of your child.

Click here for more information about urinary tract infections in children.

Urinary Incontinence in Women

Urinary incontinence is an inability to hold your urine until you get to a toilet. More than 13 million people in the United States--male and female, young and old--experience incontinence. It is often temporary, and it always results from an underlying medical condition.

Women experience incontinence twice as often as men. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, and the structure of the female urinary tract account for this difference. But both women and men can become incontinent from neurologic injury, birth defects, strokes, multiple sclerosis, and physical problems associated with aging.

Older women, more often than younger women, experience incontinence. But incontinence is not inevitable with age. Incontinence is treatable and often curable at all ages. If you experience incontinence, you may feel embarrassed. It may help you to remember that loss of bladder control can be treated. You will need to overcome your embarrassment and see a doctor to learn if you need treatment for an underlying medical condition.

Click here for more information about urinary incontinence in women.

Urodynamic Testing

If you have a problem with urine leakage or blocked urine flow, your doctor or nurse can help. One of the first steps may be urodynamic testing to find precisely what the problem is.

Click here for more urodynamic testing information.

Prostate Problems Discussion

For men under 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis.

For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. This condition is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but this disease is much less common than BPH. More information about prostate cancer is available from the National Cancer Institute.

Click here for more information about prostate problems.

Talking About Bladder Control

Even if you feel shy, it is up to you to take the first step. Some doctors don't treat bladder control problems, so they don't ask about it. Others might expect you to bring up the subject.

Because bladder control problems are common, your doctor has probably heard many stories like yours. If your doctor does not treat bladder problems, ask for help finding someone who can help you.

The good news is that most women with bladder control problems can get better, with the help of their health care team.

Click here for more information about talking about bladder control.

Solitary Kidney

Your kidneys perform many functions to keep you alive. They

• filter wastes and extra fluid from your blood
• keep the proper balance of minerals like sodium, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium in your blood
• help maintain a healthy blood pressure
• make hormones that keep your blood and bones healthy

Most people have two kidneys, one on each side of the spinal column in the back just below the rib cage. Each kidney is about the size of a fist and contains about 1 million nephrons. The nephrons are microscopic filtering "baskets" that transfer wastes from the blood to the collecting tubules of the urinary system.

A person may have only one kidney for one of three main reasons.

• A person may be born with only one kidney, a condition known as renal agenesis. Many people with this condition lead normal, healthy lives and only discover that they have one kidney when they have an x ray or sonogram or surgery for some unrelated condition.
  
  
• Some people must have one kidney removed to treat cancer or other diseases or injuries. The operation to remove a kidney is called a nephrectomy.
  
  
• A growing number of people are donating a kidney to be transplanted into a family member or friend whose kidneys have failed.

Click here for more information about solitary kidney condition.

School & Family Problems of Children With Kidney Failure

Serious and long-lasting conditions like kidney failure affect many parts of a child's life. Having kidney failure influences a child's self-image and relationships with peers and family. It can lead to behavior problems and make achieving goals more difficult. Being aware of these problems can help you recognize that your child may need some additional guidance or understanding at times.

Click here for more information about school & family problems of children with kidney failure.

Proteinuria

Proteinuria describes a condition in which urine contains an abnormal amount of protein. Proteins are the building blocks for all body parts, including muscles, bones, hair, and nails. Proteins in your blood also perform a number of important functions. They protect you from infection, help your blood coagulate, and keep the right amount of fluid circulating through your body.

As blood passes through healthy kidneys, they filter the waste products out and leave in the things the body needs, like proteins. Most proteins are too big to pass through the kidneys' filters into the urine unless the kidneys are damaged. The main protein that is most likely to appear in urine is albumin. Albumin is smaller and therefore more likely to escape through the filters of the kidney, called glomeruli. Sometimes the term albuminuria is used when the test detects albumin specifically. Albumin's function in the body includes retention of fluid in the blood. It acts like a sponge, soaking up fluid from body tissues.

Inflammation in the glomeruli is called glomerulonephritis, or simply nephritis. Many diseases can cause this inflammation, which leads to proteinuria. Additional processes that can damage the glomeruli and cause proteinuria include diabetes, hypertension, and other forms of kidney diseases.

Click here for more proteinuria information.

Prostatitis: Disorders of the Prostate

Prostatitis may account for up to 25 percent of all office visits by young and middle-aged men for complaints involving the genital and urinary systems. The term prostatitis actually encompasses four disorders:

• Acute bacterial prostatitis
• Chronic bacterial prostatitis
• Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome
• Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis

Click here for more information about prostatitis: disorders of the prostate.

Prevent Diabetes Problems

Too much glucose (sugar) in the blood for a long time can cause diabetes problems. This high blood glucose (also called blood sugar) can damage many parts of the body, such as the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. Heart and blood vessel disease can lead to heart attacks and strokes. You can do a lot to prevent or slow down diabetes problems.

This booklet is about kidney problems caused by diabetes. You will learn the things you can do each day and during each year to stay healthy and prevent diabetes problems.

Click here for more information about diabetes and kidney problems prevention.

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Bladder Control

Your bladder is a muscle shaped like a balloon. While the bladder stores urine, the bladder muscle relaxes. When you go to the bathroom, the bladder muscle tightens to squeeze urine out of the bladder. If you lose bladder control after childbirth, the problem often goes away by itself. Your muscles may just need time to recover.

Click here for more pregnancy, childbirth, and bladder control information.

Polycystic Kidney Disease

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys. The cysts are filled with fluid. PKD cysts can slowly replace much of the mass of the kidneys, reducing kidney function and leading to kidney failure.

Click here for more polycystic kidney disease information.

Peyronie's Disease Discussion

Peyronie's disease, a condition of uncertain cause, is characterized by a plaque, or hard lump, that forms on the penis. The plaque develops on the upper or lower side of the penis in layers containing erectile tissue. It begins as a localized inflammation and can develop into a hardened scar.

Cases of Peyronie's disease range from mild to severe. Symptoms may develop slowly or appear overnight. In severe cases, the hardened plaque reduces flexibility, causing pain and forcing the penis to bend or arc during erection. In many cases, the pain decreases over time, but the bend in the penis may remain a problem, making sexual intercourse difficult. The sexual problems that result can disrupt a couple's physical and emotional relationship and lead to lowered self-esteem in the man. In a small percentage of patients with the milder form of the disease, inflammation may resolve without causing significant pain or permanent bending.

The plaque itself is benign, or noncancerous. A plaque on the top of the shaft (most common) causes the penis to bend upward; a plaque on the underside causes it to bend downward. In some cases, the plaque develops on both top and bottom, leading to indentation and shortening of the penis. At times, pain, bending, and emotional distress prohibit sexual intercourse.

One study found Peyronie's disease in 1 percent of men. Although the disease occurs mostly in middle age, younger and older men can develop it. About 30 percent of men with Peyronie's disease develop fibrosis (hardened cells) in other elastic tissues of the body, such as on the hand or foot. A common example is a condition known as Dupuytren's contracture of the hand. In some cases, men who are related by blood tend to develop Peyronie's disease, which suggests that genetic factors might make a man vulnerable to the disease.

Click here for more peyronie's disease information.

Peritoneal Dialysis Dose and Adequacy

When kidneys fail, waste products such as urea and creatinine build up in the blood. One way to remove these wastes is a process called peritoneal dialysis (PD). The walls of the abdominal cavity are lined with a membrane called the peritoneum. During PD, a mixture of dextrose (sugar), salt, and other minerals dissolved in water, called dialysis solution, is placed in a person's abdominal cavity through a catheter. The body's peritoneal membrane enclosing the digestive organs allows waste products and extra body fluid to pass from the blood into the dialysis solution. These wastes then leave the body when the used solution is drained from the abdomen. Each cycle of draining and refilling is called an exchange. The time the solution remains in the abdomen between exchanges is called the dwell time. During this dwell time, some of the dextrose in the solution crosses the membrane and is absorbed by the body.

Many factors affect how much waste and extra fluid are removed from the blood. Some factors--such as the patient's size and the permeability, or speed of diffusion, of the peritoneum--cannot be controlled. Dialysis solution comes in 1.5-, 2-, 2.5-, or 3-liter bags. The dialysis dose can be increased by using a larger bag, but only within the limits of the person's abdominal capacity. Everyone's peritoneum filters wastes at a different rate. In some people, the peritoneum does not allow wastes to enter the dialysis solution efficiently enough to make PD feasible.

Click here for more peritoneal dialysis dose and adequacy information.

Peritoneal Dialysis Discussion

With peritoneal dialysis (PD), you have some choices in treating advanced and permanent kidney failure. Since the 1980s, when PD first became a practical and widespread treatment for kidney failure, we've learned much about how to make PD more effective and minimize side effects. Since you don't have to schedule dialysis sessions at a center, PD gives you more control. You can give yourself treatments at home, at work, or on trips. But this independence makes it especially important that you work closely with your health care team: your nephrologist, dialysis nurse, dialysis technician, dietitian, and social worker. But the most important members of your health care team are you and your family. By learning about your treatment, you can work with your health care team to give yourself the best possible results, and you can lead a full, active life.

Click here for more peritoneal dialysis information.

Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Women

Millions of women experience loss of bladder control, also called urinary incontinence (UI). Some women may lose a few drops of urine while running or coughing. Others may feel a strong, sudden urge to urinate just before losing a large amount of urine. UI can be slightly bothersome or totally debilitating. For some women, the risk of public embarrassment keeps them from enjoying many activities with their family and friends.

UI is a medical problem. Your doctor or nurse can help you find a solution. No single treatment works for everyone, but most women can be treated without surgery. The treatment you select depends on your lifestyle and your preferences. Many women try the simpler treatment options first, such as changing a few habits and doing exercises to strengthen the muscles that hold urine in the bladder. If these behavioral treatments do not work, you may choose to try medicines or vaginal devices. Sometimes mild electrical stimulation to the pelvic nerves may help. And for some women, surgery is the best solution.

Click here for more information about treatments for urinary incontinence in women.

Overview of Kidney Diseases in Children

Kidney failure may be acute or chronic. Acute diseases develop quickly and can be very serious. Although an acute disease may have long-lasting consequences, it usually lasts for only a short time and then goes away once the underlying cause has been treated. Chronic diseases, however, do not go away and tend to get worse over time. When the kidneys stop working, doctors use a treatment called dialysis to remove waste products and extra water from patients with chronic kidney failure.

Click here for more childhood kidney diseases information.

Nerve Disease and Bladder Control

For the urinary system to do its job, muscles and nerves must work together to hold urine in the bladder and then release it at the right time. Nerves carry messages from the bladder to the brain to let it know when the bladder is full. They also carry messages from the brain to the bladder, telling muscles either to tighten or release. A nerve problem might affect your bladder control if the nerves that are supposed to carry messages between the brain and the bladder do not work properly.

Click here for more nerve disease and bladder control information.

Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults

Nephrotic syndrome is a condition marked by very high levels of protein in the urine (proteinuria); low levels of protein in the blood; swelling, especially around the eyes, feet, and hands; and high cholesterol. Nephrotic syndrome results from damage to the kidneys' glomeruli (the singular form is glomerulus). Glomeruli are tiny blood vessels that filter waste and excess water from the blood and send them to the bladder as urine.

Click here for more nephrotic syndrome in adults information.

Menopause and Bladder Control

Some women have bladder control problems after they stop having periods (menopause or change of life). If you are going through menopause, talk to your health care team.

After your periods end, your body stops making the female hormone estrogen (ES-truh-jun). Estrogen controls how your body matures, your monthly periods, and body changes during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Click here for more information about menopause and bladder control.

Lupus Nephritis Discussion

Lupus nephritis is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a disease of the immune system. SLE causes harm to the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain.

The causes of SLE are unknown. Many factors may play a role, including

• gender (SLE is more common in women than men)
• heredity (a gene passed down by a parent)
• infections
• viruses
• environmental causes

Some people with SLE may have no symptoms of kidney disease. However, lupus nephritis may cause weight gain, high blood pressure, dark urine, or swelling around the eyes, legs, ankles, or fingers.

Click here for more lupus nephritis information.

Kidney Transplantation

If you have advanced and permanent kidney failure, kidney transplantation may be the treatment option that allows you to live much like you lived before your kidneys failed. Since the 1950s, when the first kidney transplants were performed, we've learned much about how to prevent rejection and minimize the side effects of medicines.

But transplantation is not a cure; it's an ongoing treatment that requires you to take medicines for the rest of your life. And the wait for a donated kidney can be years long.

Click here for more kidney transplantation information.

Kidney Stone Primer

If you have a kidney stone, you may already know how painful it can be. Most kidney stones pass out of the body without help from a doctor. But sometimes a stone will not just go away. It may even get larger. Your doctor can help.

Click here for more information about kidney stones.

Kidney Stones in Adults

Kidney stones, one of the most painful of the urologic disorders, are not a product of modern life. Scientists have found evidence of kidney stones in a 7,000-year-old Egyptian mummy. Unfortunately, kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract. In 2000, patients made 2.7 million visits to health care providers and more than 600,000 patients went to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. Men tend to be affected more frequently than women.

Click here for more information about kidney stones in adults.

Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC), one of the chronic pelvic pain disorders, is a condition resulting in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. The symptoms of IC vary from case to case and even in the same individual. People may experience mild discomfort, pressure, tenderness, or intense pain in the bladder and pelvic area. Symptoms may include an urgent need to urinate (urgency), frequent need to urinate (frequency), or a combination of these symptoms. Pain may change in intensity as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Women's symptoms often get worse during menstruation.

Click here for more information about interstitial cystitis.

Pyelonephritis (Kidney Infection) in Adults

Pyelonephritis is a kidney infection, usually from bacteria that have spread from the bladder.

Click here for more information about pyelonephritis (kidney infection) in adults.

Urinary Tract Infections in Adults

Urinary tract infections are a serious health problem affecting millions of people each year.

Infections of the urinary tract are common--only respiratory infections occur more often. In 1997, urinary tract infections (UTIs) accounted for about 8.3 million doctor visits.* Women are especially prone to UTIs for reasons that are poorly understood. One woman in five develops a UTI during her lifetime. UTIs in men are not so common, but they can be very serious when they do occur.

Click here for more information about urinary tract infections in adults.

Urinary Incontinence in Men

Urinary incontinence (UI) is the accidental leakage of urine. Over a lifespan, there are gender differences in the frequency of UI. In childhood, girls usually develop bladder control at an earlier age than boys, and bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is less common in girls than in boys. However, adult women are far more likely to experience UI because of the anatomy of their urinary tract and the stresses caused by pregnancy and childbirth. Nevertheless, men may experience UI as a result of prostate problems, and both men and women can experience nerve damage that leads to UI. Its prevalence increases with age, but it is not an inevitable part of aging.

Click here for more information on urinary incontinence in men.

Imaging of the Urinary Tract

What does 'imaging' mean?

In medicine, "imaging" is the general term for any technique used to provide pictures of bones and organs inside the body. Imaging techniques consist of x rays, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed axial tomography (CAT or CT) scans. Imaging helps doctors see the causes of medical problems.

Imaging may help your doctor find the cause of

urinary incontinence (unintended leakage of urine) frequent, urgent urination blockage of urine abdominal mass pain in the groin or lower back blood in the urine high blood pressure kidney failure

One symptom could have several possible causes. Your doctor can use imaging techniques to determine, for example, whether a urinary stone or an enlarged prostate is blocking urine flow. Imaging can also help clarify kidney diseases, tumors, urinary reflux (backward flow of urine), urinary tract infections, incomplete emptying, and small bladder capacity.