Evaluation And Management Of Perinatal Hydronephrosis

Abstract

The overall incidence of congenital hydronephrosis in a large scale maternal fetal screening program in Sweden was about 0.17 percent. The overall genitourinary anomalies represented about 50 percent of all sonographically detectable lesion, with hydro­

nephrosis representing two thirds of these (Helin et al, 1986).

In many cases of antenatal hydronephrosis, the hydro­ nephrosis is transient and ceases in utero but when it persists into the neonatal period its significance must be evaluated (Bruce et al, 1993).

Urinary tract obstruction can be defined as any restriction to urinary flow that, left untreated, will cause progressive renal deterioration (Kolf et al, 1987).

Genitourinary evaluation in utero by maternal fetal sono­ graphy is done either as a routine test as occur in some countries or under specific indications e.g. divergence from the expected fundal height for age, change in the amount of amniotic fluid, abnormally elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein level and family history of urinary developmental abnormalities (John et al., 1986).