TITLE:
Hydronephrosis and Ureteral Obstruction in Crohn’s Disease
AUTHORS:
Robert Jansen, Stanley Zaslau
KEYWORDS:
Hydronephrosis; Ureteral Obstruction; Crohn’s Disease
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Urology,
Vol.3 No.5,
September
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: Hydronephrosis and ureteral obstruction are rare
sequelae of Crohn’s disease. Chronic obstruction can ultimately lead to
dysfunction of the affected kidney, and atypical presenting symptoms create
pitfalls in diagnosis. Few reviews in the literature focus on this process and
are limited to isolated case reports and case reviews. We performed a PubMed
search using such terms as “Hydronephrosis” AND “Crohn’s disease” AND/OR
“ureteral obstruction.” References from selected papers were reviewed for
relevance and used for information-gathering as well. Ureteral obstruction most
commonly occurs on the right side, due to ileal involvement. Clinical diagnosis
is difficult, as symptoms are notably not genitourinary in origin; rather they
are more musculoskeletal in nature. Treatment centers on disease control and temporary
drainage of the affected kidney. Though rare, hydronephrosis and ureteral
obstruction may develop as a result of inflammatory bowel disease. Due to
atypical presenting symptoms, a high clinical suspicion is needed to affirm the
diagnosis and ensure proper treatment.