Treatments for Medullary Sponge Kidney

Medullary sponge kidney is a benign renal disorder which is characterized by the dilation of collecting tubules and which affects unilateral or bilateral kidneys. It has relatively good prognosis and few cases will progress into end stage renal failure. That is why doctors will adopt a wait and see attitude if there is no clinical manifestations except regular follow-ups.

However if patients have repeated stone passing and urinary tract infections which are common among medullary sponge kidney patients, proper and effective treatments should be received as soon as possible to alleviate the symptoms and slow down the illness progression.

1. Generalized treatments including supplement of sodium, blood transfusion in case of severe anemia, intake of sodium, calcium and vitamin E in case of parathyroid gland proliferation and serious bone fibrosis.

2. Prevention and treatments for kidney stones. A study has found that patient with MSK will pass about 1.23 stones every year, compared with 0.66 stones in other people forming calcium stones. Urinary tract obstruction caused by large stone is rare and the stones in medullary sponge kidney are mostly small ones, however frequent passing of stones will definitely cause damages to the kidneys and affect the kidney functions. It is recommended that patients should have more water intake and maintain daily urine output of more than 2000ml to reduce the deposition of calcium. And extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy can also be used.

3. Prevention and treatment for infections. Frequent urinary tract infection is another common symptom of medullary sponge kidney. Besides antibiotics therapy, some herbal medicines have the functions of preventing and treating urinary tract infections and will not cause so many side effects as antibiotics.

4. Surgical therapy. Surgery is rarely used since the disease usually affects both kidneys. If it is unilateral or segmental damages and the other kidney normal, then renal resection or partial excision can be done.

5. Rectification and treatment for renal tubular acidosis.