Abstract
In an attempt to resolve the question of the relative contributions of hydrodynamic pressure and infection to the pathogenesis of reflux nephropathy, we studied the pathologic changes in 46 kidneys subjected to vesico-ureteral reflux and obtained at necropsy from 36 patients, all aged less than 4 days. No scarring was seen in any of the kidneys, but 11 were hypoplastic and 4 were partly or completely dysplastic. This study supports the view that the pathologic features of reflux nephropathy are due to postnatal infection rather than to the hydrodynamic effect of reflux.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernstein J (1968) Developmental abnormalities of the renal parenchyma — renal hypoplasia and dysplasia. Pathol Ann 3: 213–247
Bialestock D (1963) Renal malformations and pyelonephritis. The role of vesico-ureteral reflux. Aust N Z J Surg 33: 114–127
Burge DM, Griffiths MD, Malone PS, Atwell JD (1992) Fetal vesico-ureteral reflux: outcome following conservative postnatal management. J Urol 148: 1743–1745
Crabbe DCG, Thomas DFM, Gordon AC, Irving HC, Arthur RJ, Smith SEW (1992) Use of 99mtechnetium-dimercaptosuccinic acid to study patterns of renal damage associated with prenatally detected vesicoureteral reflux. J Urol 148: 1229–1231
Cussen LJ (1971) Vesicoureteral reflux in children. Frequency and associated urologic abnormalities. Invest Urol 8: 640–644
Hodson CJ (1981) Reflux nephropathy: a personal historical review. AJR Am J Roentgen 137: 451–462
Hodson CJ, Edwards D (1960) Chronic pyelonephritis and vesicoureteric reflux. Clin Radiol 11: 219–231
Mitropoulos G, Scurry J, Cussen LJ (1992) Organ weight/body weight ratios: growth rates of fetal organs in the latter half of pregnancy with a simple method for calculating mean organ weights. J Paediatr Child Health 28: 236–239
Najmaldin A, Burge DM, Atwell JD (1990) Reflux nephropathy secondary to intrauterine vesicoureteric reflux. J Pediatr Surg 25: 387–390
Ransley PG, Risdon RA (1979) The renal papilla, intrarenal reflux, and chronic pyelonephritis. In: Hodson J, Kincaid-Smith P (eds) Reflux nephropathy. Masson, New York, pp 126–133
Rolleston GL, Shannon FT, Utley WLF (1970) Relationship of infantile vesicoureteric reflux to renal damage. Br Med J 1: 460–463
Schwarz RD, Stephens FD, Cussen LJ (1981) The pathogenesis of renal dysplasia. 1. Quantification of hypoplasia and dysplasia. Invest Urol 19: 94–96
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cussen, L.J., MacMahon, R.A. Perinatal renal changes associated with vesico-ureteral reflux. Pediatr Surg Int 10, 354–355 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182222
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182222