Kidney Tuberculosis: Causes, Symptoms and Effective Treatment

Renal tuberculosis is an infectious pathology of the kidney parenchyma, the development of which is provoked by tuberculous microbacteria.

Etiology of the disease

The main source of infection by the disease is a sick person who secretes tuberculous microbacteria into the environment. The main way of getting bacteria into the kidney is hematogenous. The tuberculosis of the kidneys is very contagious, and infection occurs at the stage of development of the focus of infection in the lungs due to the malfunction of immunity. The spread of bacteria with blood flow can occur already in the first hours after airborne or alimentary infection.

The causes of kidney tuberculosis and the way the microbacteria enter the organ are related to the characteristics of the blood flow:

• A large bed of microcirculation is the presence of a large number of small arteries.
• Inadequate blood flow in the glomeruli of the kidney.
• Too close contact between vessels and interstitial tissue.

These features increase the risk of developing a large number of primary foci of pathology in the kidney, especially in its cortical part.

Symptoms of the disease

In medicine, the classification of the disease is often used, which takes into account the clinical and diagnostic features of renal tuberculosis. According to this classification, the disease is divided into the following types:

• Tuberculosis of the kidney parenchyma, which is complemented by the formation of a large number of foci in the medullary and cortical part of the kidney.
• Tuberculous papillitis, which is characterized by damage to the papillae in the kidneys.
• Fibrous-cavernous form of tuberculosis of the kidneys, which is characterized by obliteration of the calyxes and the appearance of putrefactive cavities in them.
• Calcification of the kidney - manifested by the development of pathological foci, which includes a large number of calcium salts.

Symptoms of kidney tuberculosis in the early stages of the disease may not manifest themselves at all or are characterized by a general disability, namely, malaise, rapid fatigue, mild fever and rapid weight loss.

Destructive changes are characterized by the presence of painless total hematuria, provoked by erosive processes in the vessels during ulceration of the papillae. Often bleeding can be replaced by pyuria, which indicates the onset of pyelonephritis.

In the cavernous course of the pathology, symptoms of an infectious intoxication and pain in the lumbar region can be detected. The pain is usually moderate, has a dull aching character, but in case of a violation of the urinary diversion it can develop into renal colic. With bilateral lesions, there are signs of chronic kidney failure.

If the pathology extends to the bladder, then the disease is joined by dysuric signs - rapid urge to urinate, persistent pain over the bosom, recurring severe hematuria. When the disease starts, the arterial disease develops.

Diagnosis of the disease

Given that renal tuberculosis can occur without manifestation of symptoms, the diagnosis focuses on the organization of laboratory examination and instrumental research.

In case of suspected tuberculosis in the kidneys, a phthisiatric consultation is necessary. In the process of collecting the data of the medical history, the presence of tuberculosis in the patient, his relatives is established, and contacts with sick people are identified. In patients with asthenic physique, a doctor can feel a densely compacted tuberous kidney.

Urinalysis for renal tuberculosis is characterized by a sharp sustained acid reaction, proteinuria, pyuria, an increase in the concentration of erythrocytes and leukocytes. To conclude about the defeat of the body with this disease helps to identify the presence of bacteria in the urine. Diagnosis of ELISA provides an opportunity to establish antibodies to tuberculosis.

Sometimes it is necessary to conduct provocative tests with tuberculin. Ultrasound examination of the kidneys helps to establish caverns, lesions, assess the degree of damage to the kidney parenchyma and the dynamics of improvement of the organ in tuberculosis under the influence on the kidney of the organized treatment.

X-ray of the kidneys makes it possible to assess the general condition of the parenchyma, pelvis and calyces, ureter and bladder. A large diagnostic role is played by computed tomography and MRI for the kidneys.

Conducting a kidney biopsy is dangerous because of the risk of dissemination of the infection process, but depending on the indications, a cystoscopy with a biopsy of the mucosal surface of the bladder can be performed. Morphological examination of the obtained samples helps to identify pathologically altered cells.

Treatment of

disease Treatment of kidney tuberculosis can be combined or medicinal. Drug therapy consists in the administration of specific antituberculous drugs to various groups for a period of six to twelve months. A good effect of treatment is provided by combining anti-tuberculosis drugs with fluoroquinolones. Too long therapy with antituberculosis drugs can trigger severe intestinal dysbacteriosis and the development of hypersensitivity reactions.

In case of violation of urinary retention from the kidney, it may be necessary to install a stent in the ureter or organize nephrostomy. In the formation of a destructive local process in the kidney, conservative treatment should be accompanied by a sanation of the damaged area or partial excision of the kidney. With total kidney damage, nephrectomy is required.

Prognosis and prophylaxis of the disease

The main prognostic criterion for the development of renal tuberculosis is the pathology stage. Early diagnosis of kidney tuberculosis, the absence of destructive changes in pelvis and calyx buds, in the ureter and in the bladder, provided properly selected treatment and adequate chemotherapy can lead to complete recovery.

An unfavorable prognostic sign is bilateral renal damage with pronounced parenchyma damage in the kidneys.

Patients who have had renal tuberculosis should be registered with a specialist at the phthisiatrician and nephrologist, as well as undergoing regular examinations. The indicators of getting rid of the pathology are: recovery of urine tests, absence of recurrences of pathology according to the X-ray examination data for three years.

Preventing the development of renal tuberculosis is the careful adherence to the measures of nonspecific and specific prevention of this disease, which are recommended by the attending physician.