Only one kidney - should it be enlarged on scan?

[suerosie]

12 years ago I had my right kidney removed due to a Pelvic-Ureteric Obstruction. Recently my eGFR has dropped from 89 to 52, and I was sent for a CT scan, which showed that my remaining kidney is enlarged. Is this to be expected?

[Celtic]

I'm not a medic just a layperson who also has a sole kidney, my right one being removed when I was 12 years old, nearly 62 years ago! I have been led to believe that a sole kidney can become enlarged because it is doing the work of two. I have also been told by a lab technician that it can be expected to be lower-functioning but not by half. I only started having abnormal test results when the eGFR test was introduced some years ago. I had never experienced any creatinine problems etc previously. At that time (about 10/12 years ago) I was told I had CKD3 with an eGFR of 54. That has now reduced to 39, possibly because of difficult-to-control high blood pressure and sometimes from the actual blood pressure medication itself. My creatinine is now raised purely because of the mess!

If your eGFR has dropped from 80 to 52 in one fell swoop then it sounds as though something is going on and you will need further investigation - what is the renal consultant saying? Is there perhaps an infection going on somewhere in which case with treatment there is a chance that the function will improve? Any-inflammatory meds such as Ibuprofen are among the worst offenders. Good luck with further investigations - meanwhile drink plenty of water and avoid salt. If all else fails and the function doesn't increase back up, then keeping it stable at 52 is the goal.

[DLAZ]

What caused them to remove your kidney? I have pelvic ureteric obstruction and am suffering. I'm having a hard time finding other people suffering with this too.