Question: What is (are) Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Medullary sponge kidney, also known as Cacchi-Ricci disease, is a birth defect where changes occur in the tubules, or tiny tubes, inside a fetus kidneys. In a normal kidney, urine flows through these tubules as the kidney is being formed during a fetus growth. In medullary sponge kidney, tiny, fluid-filled sacs called cysts form in the tubules within the medullathe inner part of the kidneycreating a spongelike appearance. The cysts keep urine from flowing freely through the tubules. Symptoms of medullary sponge kidney do not usually appear until the teenage years or the 20s. Medullary sponge kidney can affect one or both kidneys.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the complications of Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Complications of medullary sponge kidney include - hematuria, or blood in the urine - kidney stones - urinary tract infections (UTIs) Medullary sponge kidney rarely leads to more serious problems, such as chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How many people are affected by Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Medullary sponge kidney affects about one person per 5,000 people in the United States. Researchers have reported that 12 to 20 percent of people who develop calcium-based kidney stones have medullary sponge kidney1.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the symptoms of Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Many people with medullary sponge kidney have no symptoms. The first sign that a person has medullary sponge kidney is usually a UTI or a kidney stone. UTIs and kidney stones share many of the same signs and symptoms: - burning or painful urination - pain in the back, lower abdomen, or groin - cloudy, dark, or bloody urine - foul-smelling urine - fever and chills - vomiting People who experience these symptoms should see or call a health care provider as soon as possible.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the treatments for Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Scientists have not discovered a way to reverse medullary sponge kidney. Once a health care provider is sure a person has medullary sponge kidney, treatment focuses on - curing an existing UTI - removing any kidney stones Curing an Existing Urinary Tract Infection To treat a UTI, the health care provider may prescribe a medication called an antibiotic that kills bacteria. The choice of medication and length of treatment depend on the persons medical history and the type of bacteria causing the infection. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Urinary Tract Infections in Adults. Removing Kidney Stones Treatment for kidney stones usually depends on their size and what they are made of, as well as whether they are causing pain or obstructing the urinary tract. Kidney stones may be treated by a general practitioner or by a urologista doctor who specializes in the urinary tract. Small stones usually pass through the urinary tract without treatment. Still, the person may need pain medication and should drink lots of liquids to help move the stone along. Pain control may consist of oral or intravenous (IV) medication, depending on the duration and severity of the pain. People may need IV fluids if they become dehydrated from vomiting or an inability to drink. A person with a larger stone, or one that blocks urine flow and causes great pain, may need more urgent treatment, such as - shock wave lithotripsy. A machine called a lithotripter is used to break up the kidney stone into smaller pieces to pass more easily through the urinary tract. The patient may need local or general anesthesia. - ureteroscopy. A ureteroscopea long, tubelike instrument with an eyepieceis used to find and retrieve the stone with a small basket or to break the stone up with laser energy. Local or general anesthesia may be required. - percutaneous nephrolithotomy. In this procedure, a wire-thin viewing instrument, called a nephroscope, is used to locate and remove the stones. During the procedure, which requires general anesthesia, a tube is inserted directly into the kidney through a small incision in the patients back. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Kidney Stones in Adults.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to prevent Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Scientists have not yet found a way to prevent medullary sponge kidney. However, health care providers can recommend medications and dietary changes to prevent future UTIs and kidney stones.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to prevent Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: Health care providers may prescribe certain medications to prevent UTIs and kidney stones: - A person with medullary sponge kidney may need to continue taking a low-dose antibiotic to prevent recurrent infections. - Medications that reduce calcium in the urine may help prevent calcium kidney stones. These medications may include - potassium citrate - thiazide
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for Medullary Sponge Kidney ?
Answer: - Medullary sponge kidney, also known as Cacchi-Ricci disease, is a birth defect where changes occur in the tubules, or tiny tubes, inside a fetus kidneys. - Symptoms of medullary sponge kidney do not usually appear until the teenage years or the 20s. Medullary sponge kidney can affect one or both kidneys. - Complications of medullary sponge kidney include - hematuria, or blood in the urine - kidney stones - urinary tract infections (UTIs) - Many people with medullary sponge kidney have no symptoms. The first sign that a person has medullary sponge kidney is usually a UTI or a kidney stone. UTIs and kidney stones share many of the same signs and symptoms: - burning or painful urination - pain in the back, lower abdomen, or groin - cloudy, dark, or bloody urine - foul-smelling urine - fever and chills - vomiting - Health care providers commonly choose one or more of three imaging techniques to diagnose medullary sponge kidney: - intravenous pyelogram - computerized tomography (CT) scan - ultrasound - Scientists have not discovered a way to reverse medullary sponge kidney. Once a health care provider is sure a person has medullary sponge kidney, treatment focuses on - curing an existing UTI - removing any kidney stones - Scientists have not yet found a way to prevent medullary sponge kidney. However, health care providers can recommend medications and dietary changes to prevent future UTIs and kidney stones.
Source: NIDDK