Nephr Health Dictionary

Inflation of the kidneys... nephritis

Disease of the kidneys... nephropathy

The operation for removal of the kidney. (See KIDNEYS, DISEASES OF.)... nephrectomy

Nephroblastoma, or Wilm’s tumour, is the commonest kidney tumour in infancy (see also KIDNEYS, DISEASES OF – Tumours of the kidney). It is a malignant tumour, which occurs in around 1 per 10,000 live births. The survival rate with modern treatment (removal of the kidney followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy) is now around 80 per cent.... nephroblastoma

The branch of medicine concerned with the study and management of kidney disease. A specialist in these diseases is called a nephrologist.... nephrology

Each kidney comprises over a million of these microscopic units which regulate and control the formation of URINE. A tuft of capillaries invaginates the Bowmans capsule, which is the blind-ending tube (GLOMERULUS) of each nephron. Plasma is ?ltered out of blood and through the Bowmans capsule into the renal tubule. As the ?ltrate passes along the tubule, most of the water and electrolytes are reabsorbed. The composition is regulated with the retention or addition of certain molecules (e.g. urea, drugs, etc.). The tubules eventually empty the ?ltrate, which by now is urine, into the renal pelvis from where it ?ows down the ureters into the bladder. (See KIDNEYS.)... nephron

Nephrostomy is the operation of making an opening into the kidney (see KIDNEYS) to drain it.... nephrostomy

Nephrotic syndrome is one of PROTEINURIA, hypo-albuminaemia and gross OEDEMA. The primary cause is the leak of albumin (see ALBUMINS) through the GLOMERULUS. When this exceeds the liver’s ability to synthesise albumin, the plasma level falls and oedema results. The nephrotic syndrome is commonly the result of primary renal glomerular disease (see KIDNEYS, DISEASES OF – Glomerulonephritis). It may also be a result of metabolic diseases such as diabetic glomerular sclerosis and AMYLOIDOSIS. It may be the result of systemic autoimmune diseases such as SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS (SLE) and POLYARTERITIS NODOSA. It may complicate malignant diseases such as MYELOMATOSIS and Hodgkin’s disease (see LYMPHOMA). It is sometimes caused by nephrotoxins such as gold or mercury and certain drugs, and it may be the result of certain infections such as MALARIA and CROHN’S DISEASE.... nephrotic syndrome

Degeneration of the kidney, with high discharge of albumin in the urine. Anaemia, dropsy and protein loss.

Causes: recurrent attacks of nephritis, bacterial toxins, environmental poisons, mineral drugs (mercury etc).

Treatment. Specific hospital treatment essential, (dialysis etc). Simple phytomedicines may bring a measure of relief as supportives to conventional medicine.

Teas. Barley water, Buchu, Clivers, Cornsilk, Couchgrass, Goldenrod, Parsley, Plantain, Wild Carrot. Decoctions. Broom tops, Dandelion root, Marshmallow root, Hydrangea root, Parsley root.

Powders. Alfalfa 45; Bearberry 15; Buchu 10; Couchgrass 15; Wild Carrot 15. Dose: 500-750mg (2-3 00 capsules or one-third to half a teaspoon) thrice or more daily.

Tinctures. Echinacea 2 (to enhance powers of resistance). Parsley root 2; Ginseng 1; Ginger quarter. Dose: 1-2 teaspoons in water thrice or more daily.

Restharrow herb. For weak kidneys and bladder. (R.F Weiss MD. Book: Herbal Medicine, Beaconsfleld Publishers)

Diet. High protein, salt-free, herb teas. Spring water in abundance.

Supplements. Vitamin A, B-complex, B2, C, E. Calcium, Iron, Magnesium.

Supportives. Hot abdominal packs. Castor oil packs. Sweat packs. Induce sweating with aid of diaphoretics.

Subsequent treatment by or in liaison with a qualified medical practitioner. ... nephrosis

Pain in the kidney... nephralgia

A condition in which CALCULI are present in the kidney.... nephrolithiasis

Surgical ?xation (to the 12th rib and posterior abdominal wall) of a mobile kidney; this prevents the kidney from descending in the abdomen when the affected person stands up.... nephropexy

The condition in which a kidney (see KIDNEYS) is mobile or ‘?oating’ instead of being ?xed to the back of the abdominal cavity.... nephroptosis

An endoscopic instrument for examining the inside of the kidney (see KIDNEYS). It is normally passed into the renal pelvis of the organ via a route from the surface of the skin. Instruments can be passed through the nephroscope under direct vision to remove CALCULI (stones) or break them up using ULTRASOUND.... nephroscope

Nephrotomy means the operation of cutting into the kidney (see KIDNEYS), in search of CALCULI or for other reasons.... nephrotomy

Deposits of calcium within the tissue of 1 or both kidneys. Nephrocalcinosis is not the same as kidney stones (see calculus, urinary tract), in which calcium particles develop inside the drainage channels of the kidney. Nephrocalcinosis may occur in any condition in which the level of calcium in the blood is raised. It may also occur as a result of taking excessive amounts of certain antacid drugs or vitamin D. Treatment is of the underlying cause to prevent further calcification.... nephrocalcinosis

The surgical removal of a calculus (stone) from the kidney.

Nephrolithotomy may be performed through an abdominal incision, or via a puncture incision in the back. Large

calculi may need to be broken up before removal. Other methods of removal are pyelolithotomy and lithotripsy.... nephrolithotomy

Hardening of the arterioles and arteries of the kidney.... nephrosclerosis

n. disease of the *tubulointerstitium of the kidney associated with chronic use of mixed analgesic preparations. Phenacetin, paracetamol, and salicylates have all been implicated. The condition is progressive and results in bilateral atrophy of the kidneys and chronic renal failure. In the early stages the condition is asymptomatic. The earliest clinical manifestations relate to disordered tubular function with impaired concentration and acidification of the urine.... analgesic nephropathy

a severe and progressive form of tubulointerstitial renal disease (see tubulointerstitium), first described in 1956 and endemic to certain rural areas along the tributaries of the Danube in Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia. The natural course of the disease is progression to end-stage kidney failure and frequent development of tumours in the upper urinary tract. It seems likely that an environmental factor is responsible for the disease, and evidence supports the theory that long-term consumption of food contaminated with seeds from plants of *Aristolochia spp. underlies the pathogenesis.... balkan nephropathy

(IgA nephropathy) an abnormality of the kidney in which there is a focal area of inflammation (*glomerulonephritis). This causes microscopic amounts of blood in the urine. A quarter of the patients with this condition may develop kidney failure. [J. Berger (20th century), French nephrologist]... berger’s nephropathy

(myeloma kidney) a complication of multiple myeloma seen in approximately half of those who have renal disease. The casts typically involve the distal convoluted and collecting tubules and often have a fractured or crystalline appearance. They are frequently surrounded by multinucleate giant cells. Deposition of the casts is associated with progressive renal failure.... cast nephropathy

a condition that came to prominence in the 1990s when hundreds of young European women developed end-stage renal disease after receiving slimming pills containing Chinese herbs. The condition is also associated with a high incidence of urothelial tumours. It was eventually proved that the product was contaminated with aristolochic acid, a main toxic product of *Aristolochia plant species. Its presence in the slimming regimen was the result of accidental substitution of the prescribed herb Stephania tetrandra (han fang-ji) by A. fangchi (guang fang-ji).... chinese herb nephropathy

deterioration in renal function (of more than 25%) after administration of radiocontrast material. Development of this condition is more likely when there is pre-existing renal disease (the most important factor) or diabetes, vasoconstriction, simultaneous use of NSAIDs, and large amounts of radiocontrast are used. It is thought that the radiocontrast induces vasoconstriction in the vessels supplying the medulla of the kidney and aggravates hypoxia in this part of the kidney.... contrast nephropathy

progressive damage to the kidneys seen in some people with long-standing diabetes. Excessive leakage of protein into the urine is followed by gradual decline of the kidney function and even kidney failure. See also diabetic glomerulosclerosis.... diabetic nephropathy

see HAN.... heroin-associated nephropathy

defects of kidney function related to a high serum calcium, irrespective of cause. Impaired urine-concentrating ability and reduction in glomerular filtration rate are common features. Histologically, calcific deposits in the kidneys (*nephrocalcinosis) may be seen in cases of long-standing hypercalcaemia.... hypercalcaemic nephropathy

abnormalities seen with chronic hypokalaemia (usually K+ <3.0 mmol/l) and manifest by impaired urine-concentrating ability and reduced capacity to excrete sodium. Histological changes include cytoplasmic vacuolation of the renal tubules and medullary fibrosis.... hypokalaemic nephropathy

see Berger’s nephropathy.... iga nephropathy

n. a transmembrane protein localized to the slit diaphragm of the *podocyte and necessary for the proper functioning of the renal filtration barrier. The latter consists of fenestrated endothelial cells, the basement membrane, and the epithelial podocyte. A defect in the gene coding for nephrin (NPHS1) on chromosome 19 results in congenital nephrotic syndrome of Finnish type (which is not exclusive to the Finnish population).... nephrin

generalized inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidneys resulting in a reduction in *glomerular filtration rate, with mild oedema and hypertension resulting from renal salt and water retention. Urine analysis shows the presence of proteinuria and microscopic haematuria with red cell casts. Common and usually self-limiting causes are *Berger’s nephropathy and poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. Less common but more serious causes of the nephritic syndrome are the vasculitides (see vasculitis) and *Goodpasture’s disease, which, untreated, usually prove fatal.... nephritic syndrome

disease of the *tubulointerstitium of the kidney. Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) represents in many cases an allergic reaction to drugs (especially ampicillin, cephalexin, NSAIDs, allopurinol, and frusemide). AIN can also be associated with acute infections and autoimmune disease. Thirst and polyuria may be prominent, and renal function severely affected. In allergic cases, the use of steroids hastens recovery after the allergen has been removed. Chronic interstitial nephritis (CIN) is associated with progressive scarring of the tubulointerstitium, often with lymphocyte infiltration. Primary causes of CIN include gout, radiation nephropathy, sarcoidosis, *analgesic nephropathy, reflux nephropathy, chronic hypokalaemia and hypercalcaemia, and *Aristolochia-associated nephropathies. Management of CIN involves removal of the precipitating cause, where identified, and control of hypertension.... interstitial nephritis

a frequent and serious complication of systemic *lupus erythematosus (SLE). The 2002 WHO/ISN/RPS classification of lupus nephritis recognizes six classes: class I is the presence of mesangial deposits (see juxtaglomerular apparatus) seen on immunofluorescence and/or electron microscopy; class II is the presence of mesangial deposits and mesangial hypercellularity; class III is focal and segmental *glomerulonephritis; class IV is diffuse segmental or global nephritis; class V is *membranous nephropathy; and class VI is advanced sclerotic glomerulonephritis. Untreated, outcomes are poor in classes III and IV, but much improved with immunosuppressant treatment.... lupus nephritis

a common cause of the *nephrotic syndrome in adults. The diagnosis is established by renal biopsy, which shows diffuse global subepithelial deposits within the glomerulus. Most cases of membranous nephropathy are idiopathic, but there are associations with infection (e.g. hepatitis B), malignancy (especially lung cancer), autoimmune disease (e.g. SLE, Hashimoto’s disease), and drugs (e.g. gold and penicillamine). Recent studies suggest that idiopathic membranous nephropathy is an autoimmune disease with antibodies directed against an antigen (PLA2R, a phospholipase A2 receptor) on the *podocyte cell membrane. Without treatment, outcome is very variable: some patients will make a full recovery, while others will progress to end-stage kidney failure. Immunosuppressant treatment is often tried when there is evidence of declining renal function.... membranous nephropathy

the commonest cause of *nephrotic syndrome in children and an important cause of this syndrome in adults. The condition is so named because of the apparent lack of abnormalities seen on light microscopy of biopsy samples. Changes can, however, be seen on electron microscopy, with effacement of the *podocyte foot processes along the glomerular basement membrane. It is postulated that minimal change disease is a T-cell disease and that *cytokine damage to the podocytes leads to loss of the selective filtering characteristics of the glomerulus. The condition usually responds to corticosteroids and has a good prognosis, but there is clinical overlap with primary *focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which may have similar histological appearances in its early stages, tends not to respond to steroids, and is associated with a poor renal prognosis.... minimal change nephropathy

either of the paired ridges of tissue that run along the dorsal surface of the abdominal cavity of the embryo. Parts of it develop into the kidney, ovary, or testis and their associated ducts. Intermediate stages of these developments are the *pronephros, *mesonephros, and *metanephros.... nephrogenic cord

(NDI) a condition characterized by *polyuria and *polydipsia and due to failure of the renal tubules to respond, or to respond fully, to *vasopressin. One form of congenital NDI is caused by an X-linked (see sex-linked) dominant mutation of the gene encoding the vasopressin V2 receptor. A rarer form of congenital NDI is an autosomal recessive condition associated with genetic mutations in the gene encoding AQP-2 water channels (see aquaporin). Acquired NDI is much commoner than the congenital form and usually less severe. It is present in most patients with advancing chronic renal failure, is a feature of certain electrolyte disorders (hypokalaemia, hypercalcaemia), and can complicate chronic lithium treatment.... nephrogenic diabetes insipidus

n. inspection of the interior of the kidney with a *nephroscope.... nephroscopy

n. X-ray imaging (see fluoroscopy) of the interior of the kidney and ureter after injecting a radiographic *contrast medium through a catheter placed inside the renal pelvis (see nephrostomy). This procedure is done to check for any problems with the drainage of urine from the pelvis to the ureter.... nephrostogram

adj. liable to cause damage to the kidneys. Nephrotoxic drugs include *aminoglycoside antibiotics, sulphonamides, and gold compounds. —nephrotoxicity n.... nephrotoxic

(ureteronephrectomy) n. the surgical removal of a kidney together with its ureter. This operation is performed for cancer of the kidney pelvis or ureter. It is also undertaken when the kidney has been destroyed by *vesicoureteric reflux, to prevent subsequent continuing reflux into the stump of the ureter that would occur if only the kidney were removed.... nephroureterectomy

(PCNL) a technique of removing stones from the kidney via a *nephroscope passed into the kidney through a dilated track established from the skin surface into the renal pelvis.... percutaneous nephrolithotomy

(NSF, nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy) a rare condition, first reported in 1997, that occurs exclusively in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), who develop large areas of hardened skin with fibrotic nodules and plaques. Flexion contractures with an accompanying limitation of range of motion can also occur. Exposure to gadolinium, used as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging, has been identified as a causative factor, but many patients with severe CKD have been exposed to gadolinium without consequence. Linear gadolinium preparations (Omniscan, OptiMARK) appear to carry the highest risk of NSF. There is no cure for the condition.... nephrogenic systemic fibrosis

nephritis associated with infected indwelling shunts. The infection is usually with staphylococci (S. epidermidis) and patients present with anorexia, malaise, arthralgia, and low-grade fever. Purpura, anaemia, and hepatosplenomegaly may be found and urine analysis shows heavy proteinuria, often with a *nephrotic syndrome and haematuria. Treatment usually involves removal of the infected shunt as well as antibiotics.... shunt nephritis

progressive renal disease developing in 5–8% of patients with *sickle-cell disease. Infarcts in the cortex can occur with sickle-cell crises and present with pain and haematuria. Acute or more insidious damage to the medulla will lead to a urinary concentrating defect and later to papillary necrosis and/or fibrosis. Occlusion of vessels within the glomerular capillary tuft leads to a secondary form of *focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and can present with the *nephrotic syndrome.... sickle-cell nephropathy