Is it possible to live with one kidney? Full life with one kidney after surgery

The kidneys are paired organs that excrete unnecessary and harmful metabolic products, toxins from the body. Main function:

filtration of blood components;
excretion of metabolic by-products from the body;
urine formation.

But these are not all the tasks that the kidneys perform in the body. Their additional features:

Direct participation in hematopoiesis.
Osmoregulation - maintaining the proper level of water and the percentage of salts in the body.
Ionoregulation is the regulation of the balance of acids and alkalis in the blood plasma.
Metabolism (metabolism) - the formation of vitamins, maintaining the volume of lipids (fats), carbohydrates and proteins in internal fluids at the proper level.
Endocrine function - the production of hormones that are responsible for the regulation of the total volume of circulating blood, the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow, and the preservation of the right amount of water in the body.

Possible reasons for the absence of an organ

According to statistics, 0.05% of people, which is about one in five out of 10 thousand, live with one kidney, without even knowing it. A person can have a single organ for a number of reasons:

Aplasia, agenesis of an organ - underdevelopment or congenital absence of an organ.
Dysplasia is the name of a defect in the kidney tissue that does not allow the organ to carry out its functions.
Nephrectomy is the forced surgical removal of an organ. This measure is necessary in the presence of large cysts on the kidney, urolithiasis with purulent lesions, the formation of axalate stones in the organ, serious developmental anomalies, a malignant tumor, physical trauma, accompanied by the collapse of the kidney tissues.
Donating a kidney to another person.

Diagnosis of the first two cases is carried out by the following methods:

magnetic resonance angiography;
CT multispectral;
CT spiral;
angiography-X-ray of the kidneys.

Features of the functioning of one organ

Do they live with one kidney? Definitely yes. With the loss of one organ, the other completely takes over its functions, hypertrophies (increases in size), and begins to work with a vengeance. Such a phenomenon (restorative, compensatory) is the norm for a living organism.

If you can live with one kidney, then is it possible to live without them? Today this is also possible. The way out is the installation of lifelong dialysis (“artificial kidney” system) or transplantation of a donor organ. In the second case, one must constantly be wary of kidney rejection, since lymphocytes perceive it as an “enemy” foreign body that needs to be neutralized and destroyed. Therefore, patients take strong immunosuppressants that suppress the protective functions of their body.

Is it possible to live with one kidney: consequences

The vast majority of patients who have had a kidney removed do not experience serious health problems. Although a person undergoes a number of difficulties at the postoperative and rehabilitation stage, the presence of one organ instead of a pair does not affect his life expectancy in any way. Therefore, the question "How long do they live without a kidney?" incorrect.

The consequences may be as follows:

violation of the main renal functions;
high blood pressure (hypertension);
formation in the abdominal region of adhesions, hernia;
recurrence of tumor formation (if the kidney was removed due to the defeat of its cancer cells).

How to live with one kidney after surgery: patients should periodically visit a specialist nephrologist, take biochemical tests to monitor the functioning of the organ 1-2 times a year. Sometimes computed tomography is recommended. A person becomes fully able-bodied after two months of rehabilitation. A woman with one kidney can normally endure childbirth and give birth to a healthy baby.

The main rules of a fulfilling life

How to live fully with one kidney:

Optimal dietary ingredients

How to live with one kidney in full force? Follow a certain diet. It reduces the load on the only functioning organ and the urinary system as a whole, helps to recover faster.

In the first 24 hours after surgery, the patient is offered to completely refuse food. Two hours after nephrectomy, rinsing the mouth, taking a small amount of water is allowed. Since sometimes the removal of the kidney is accompanied by a violation of the functions of the intestine, appropriate medicines and special nutrition are prescribed to stabilize its functions.

The main conditions of the diet during the rehabilitation period:

Dairy, sour-milk products - 2-3 times a week. The restriction is due to the calcium content in this food - its high concentration can cause the formation of sand in the kidney. Low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cream are allowed.
Fruits and vegetables. These products, both boiled and fresh, should make up 70-80% of all food consumed. They are easily digestible, contain an optimal set of vitamins, and have a beneficial effect on digestion.
Lipids. Unrefined cold-pressed vegetable oils are acceptable: mustard, sesame, sunflower, olive, corn, linseed.
Carbohydrates. It is recommended that the patient refuse simple types: sugars, sweets, carbonated drinks, bakery products made from white flour. Preference for complex carbohydrates: grain black bread, cereals, bran, vegetables.
Squirrels. The amount of protein intake (meat, fish - only low-fat varieties, eggs) should be reduced to 2-3 meals per week.
Liquids. In order not to overload the only functioning organ, you should drink no more than 1-1.5 liters of fluid per day. This volume will not overload the kidney and at the same time will help to remove all toxins from the body. Preference for vegetable and fruit juices diluted with water, fruit drinks. Do not abuse strong black and green tea, coffee, meat broths.
Spices. Salt intake should be minimized.

Starvation, vegetarianism, a raw food diet are undesirable - such a diet can deprive the kidney of a supporting layer of fat, thanks to which it is held tightly in place.

Food should enter the body not hot, not cold, but warm. Products are boiled, baked, stewed. A good option is to purchase a double boiler or multicooker. These devices preserve the maximum of useful and necessary microelements and vitamins in cooked dishes.

Preference is given to fresh products. When storing them, you need to pay attention to its conditions, the rules of freezing. They eat several times a day in small portions, at the same time.

quail eggs;
low-fat dairy products;
unsalted hard cheese;
pasta from durum wheat varieties;
lean fish;
cereals;
vegetable broths;
lean veal, rabbit meat;
"white meat" of poultry - chicken, turkey;
fruit and berry juices, jellies, mousses, cocktails, compotes;
bran bread;
first courses according to vegetarian recipes, but with the addition of butter;
lettuce, beets, cucumbers, cauliflower, potatoes.

Unhealthy food

How to live with one kidney without problems? Avoid the following foods completely:

conservation, home and store, including from marinades and pickles;
sausages, sausages, smoked products, semi-finished products;
sweets containing white sugar;
sweet pastries from white flour;
sweet sparkling waters;
medicinal mineral drinks (especially those containing sodium);
any alcohol - even beer;
fatty meat and broths from it;
salty, fried, spicy food;
onions, garlic, tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms.

Undesirable: legumes, fish, meat broths, salted cheeses, milk chocolate, sorrel, celery, parsley, radish, radish.

Sport

Speaking about how to live with one kidney correctly, one cannot but touch on sports. Hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, skating, swimming in the pool, equestrian sports, therapeutic exercises, fitness, and morning exercises will definitely benefit. The kidneys "love" circular rotation of the body, tilts.

However, you should refrain from power sports, exhausting workouts, professional records. It is also worth paying attention to the diet of the athlete. Bodybuilders, bodybuilders are shown increased protein intake, which is unacceptable for the diet of a person with one kidney. Sports with an increased risk of serious injury to a single organ - boxing, football, basketball are also undesirable.

One kidney and pregnancy

Until recently, pregnancy and childbirth in the presence of one kidney were considered deadly for a woman - there was a risk that the organ could fail. The level of modern medical care allows you to get a favorable pregnancy prognosis, subject to comprehensive health monitoring (patients with one kidney are susceptible to infections), a certain daily routine - alternating rest and work, and a proper diet. A contraindication to pregnancy is only the removal of a kidney due to cancer.

How long do people live with one kidney? No less than having such a paired organ. As for any other person, hereditary data, ecology, lifestyle, addiction to bad habits, and the presence of other diseases affect life expectancy.

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Why can people only have one kidney?

There are three main reasons:

A person has only one kidney from birth. In the world of medicine, this trend is considered under the definition of renal agenesis. There is also the concept of kidney dysplasia, when a born child has 2 kidneys, but only one of them is fully functional. Most people born with this problem are able to lead a full and healthy life, even though they are attributed to disability.
One kidney was removed due to injury or serious illness after surgery (for example, cancer).
Donation by a healthy person for the benefit and health of another who needs a transplant.

When one is born with one kidney, or when the second is lost, for some reason the following happens: one kidney begins to develop and work more quickly, thereby becoming larger than usual. As a result, the organ reaches the size that should be with the sum of two kidneys.

The accelerated growth of one kidney allows it to do the same work as if there were two.

Such forced growth of the organ is called "compensatory" or "restorative". This action is carried out in several ways: accelerated cell division or an increase in cell size can act as a reason for rapid growth. For example, if an organ was removed after surgery, then the cells of another will grow at an accelerated pace. As a result, it increases to the size of two. In other words, it will function as two. It has long been proven that the level of work of one kidney is in no way inferior to the work of two. As a result of testing, it was revealed that the organ overcomes its functionality by 35-45% more than in its normal state.

How many live with one kidney on average?

Many people living with one kidney have minor problems, but they are fairly common. In addition, there are some problems that come to light and make themselves felt after a longer period.

Global problems that can appear during life with a single kidney appear 20-30 years after the loss, but possibly later. Such people have higher blood pressure, and in old age are at greater risk of developing hypertension. But this is not a reason to be upset, the functionality of a single kidney is to a small extent inferior to the work of two, so the length of life hardly changes. How many live with one kidney, because a person is credited with a disability? The answer is simple: the restrictions are quite insignificant, so you can live as happily ever after as all people on the planet.

However, you should periodically check with your doctor, at least once a year. To make a check, it is enough to take blood and urine tests. Monitor your blood pressure by measuring it every six months. These recommendations will help keep your organ in good condition or prevent unwanted complications.

Sports with only one kidney

With any complication or illness, sport is always an excellent choice. It is only important to observe which exercises can be performed and which cannot.

Also in people with a single kidney: they have some prohibitions in this regard. Doctors issue a verdict that such people are forbidden to engage in sports where hard contact is expected (football, basketball, boxing, hockey, wrestling, etc.).

Question about diet

In most cases, the diet is about the same as that of all people. If a kidney transplant was performed due to illness or kidney failure, then a certain diet should be followed. A personal dietitian consultant can help you with dietary restrictions.

There are basic rules that provide for a rationed diet for such people. The diet should be on a calorie basis, it is important to limit protein intake.

The ration should be:

vegetables and fruits;
Rye bread;
a small amount of dairy products;
meat and fish without fat (250 g per week).

Food must be steamed. It is forbidden to use products prepared with fat, canned food and smoked meats.

This is the basic information about how to live with one kidney.

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How does one kidney function?

The kidneys are a paired organ. They accumulate toxins and slags, after which they are excreted in the urine. The kidneys should work well, blood pressure and the amount of fluid in the cells depend on this. If both organs are healthy, the load is distributed evenly. With a decrease in efficiency or loss of one of the kidneys, almost all functions are taken over by the other. The consequences of this are an increase in size, which is a physiological norm. There are several reasons for the absence of one of the kidneys: a congenital anomaly (agenesis or aplasia) or surgical removal for incurable diseases of this organ (nephrectomy). How many live with one organ? By observing some food restrictions, giving up bad habits and observing the regimen, a person can fully live with one kidney. If the remaining organ functions without violations, then they do not become disabled for medical reasons.

It happens that patients lose both kidneys. What to do in this case, what is the way out? Here, either lifelong hemodialysis or transplantation (transplantation) of a healthy organ from a donor can save. The main problem of people living with a transplanted kidney is the constant danger of rejection. At the same time, the immune system perceives the new organ as a foreign body, and lymphocytes begin to try to destroy it. A method of preventing rejection is modern immunosuppressants that suppress the immune system. If you follow the rules, then life with a single kidney, even a transplanted one, will be acceptable. A transplanted kidney will work in two if you monitor your weight, take the prescribed medications in full, follow the recommendations of the transplantologist, and regularly take tests. You also need a lifelong diet, from which alcohol is excluded.

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Rules for a full life for a person with one kidney

Giving up bad habits will allow you to live a full life.

What is needed for a full life if a person is born with one kidney or is it removed? Everything is simple. Diet, a healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits (smoking and alcohol) will allow you to live a full life without feeling disabled if you have only one kidney. Some inconveniences and problems in adulthood will accompany constantly. This is increased pressure, the risk of disruption of the remaining kidney. Pregnancy causes certain difficulties in women.

To avoid complications, patients need to be examined by a specialist annually, especially if the kidney was removed for medical reasons. You don't need to drink a lot. The lifestyle recommended by doctors is able to support the body and improve its functioning. First of all, pay attention to how you need to eat. Food should not be salty or too fatty. Fried is allowed, the menu can include fried meat or other products without using spices. In order for a single kidney to cope with the liquid, there are restrictions on drinking water. The approximate rate of fluid per day is 1 liter. If in such a situation someone drinks more than the norm, puffiness appears.

If you are fascinated by professional sports, the absence of one organ is not a hindrance, you can do it for your own pleasure. But leave exhausting workouts and do not set records. You can do exercises in the morning, do fitness or go to the pool several times a week. Any physical education is a useful thing. The kidneys “love” tilting from side to side, circular movements of the body. However, do not combine and do not replace light physical education with strength exercises, the consequences can be unpredictable. The patient also should not work hard, but you can always find something to your liking, despite the restrictions.

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Proper nutrition and restrictions

The body of those who were born without a kidney is accustomed to non-standard conditions, so special nutrition provides for errors. The diet is designed, first of all, to minimize the load on the remaining organ, the urinary system, and also to speed up the recovery process after a kidney has been cut out to a person. The menu should not contain homemade and purchased pickles and marinades. For salt, significant restrictions must be made. It is also better to reduce the intake of proteins. So you will facilitate the work of the remaining kidney, it will be able to remain healthy for a long time. Products are best boiled, baked or stewed. From time to time you can cook fried dishes.

The basis of nutrition should be easily digestible food.

Meals are built in such a way that the basis is easily digestible food. The main thing is how much fluid enters the body. There should be no shortage or oversupply. Therefore, it is so important for patients to maintain the right balance. And clearly calculate the amount of water entering the body. You can’t do without water at all, it should help the kidney remove toxins, so every day you need to drink some clean drinking water. But coffee, ice cream, beer and alcohol are taboo. Without them, you can live and facilitate the work of the body. Not drinking alcohol is a kind of lifestyle and belief. Forever avoid:

rich pastries and fresh white bread;
canned food, sausages and semi-finished products;
rich broths, fatty meat;
mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, onions and garlic;
mineral water with sodium;

At first, diet food will seem tasteless, insipid, especially if you have previously eaten dishes with the addition of artificial flavors and flavor enhancers. Healthy food made from the following products:

bran bread;
vegetarian first courses with butter;
turkey, veal, rabbit (meat a week after surgery);
eggs and dairy products;
potatoes, beets, cauliflower, cucumbers and lettuce;
cereals;
tea, compote, fruit and vegetable juices, with the addition of drinking water.

There are times in life when a person has only one kidney. Despite this, such people lead the most ordinary way of life. The presence of one functioning kidney is due to several factors:

congenital pathology. The formation of only one of the paired organs occurs during the period of intrauterine development of the fetus; nephrectomy. This is the removal of an organ affected by certain diseases (pyelonephritis, polycystic, cancer, tumor, developmental abnormalities, tuberculosis); organ transplant, which is carried out as a donation for another person; dysplasia. After birth, the child grows only one of the paired organs.

Life without one of the kidneys

Is the existence of a person who, for certain reasons, has only one of the paired organs different? Hardly ever. This pathology occurs in 0.05% of people, without being accompanied by disability. Some people do not even know that one of their organs is missing or underdeveloped. Life with one kidney is as complete as life with two given organs. This pathology has no effect on life expectancy. This is due to the presence of a unique opportunity in the human body, which consists in adapting to various conditions of existence, adaptation. If the kidney did not form during fetal development, or only one of the two organs performs all the functions fully, do not worry. The human body is always adapting to new conditions. A healthy organ develops faster, often reaching twice its size. This is necessary in order for it to cope with a double load. If a person has lost a kidney due to nephrectomy with a cyst, hydronephrosis injury, a healthy organ doubles its functionality. It adapts to the increased load throughout the year. After this period, the remaining kidney fully performs all functions. A person who has lost one organ will not need any additional procedures. He can return to his usual way of life. When a nephrectomy was performed due to pyelonephritis, tuberculosis, the patient will need to follow the recommendations of specialists. He will be put on a special diet. Such a patient will need to control the load, limit fluid intake. But these rules will need to be followed only until the body is fully restored, adapted. With nephrectomy due to the formation of stones in the organ, the diet will be slightly different:

due to oxalate stones, the patient should not eat products containing oxalate salts; with urate, meat, fish are limited; with phosphate, dairy products are limited.

Nephrectomy and diet

When one kidney is removed, the human body will initially experience an increased load on metabolism and filtration. After a nephrectomy, the first time you should follow a certain diet, as well as give up alcohol. The diet is the same after the removal of any of the paired organs (right, left). The main thing is to adhere to the following principles:

inclusion in the menu of easily digestible food; moderation in the use of liquids (drinking, broths). It should be limited to only one liter per day; reducing the number of servings, increasing the frequency of meals; protein foods should be limited; it is desirable to use baked, boiled, stewed food; the amount of salt consumed should be reduced.

It is very important that the daily diet is fortified and balanced. After the body adapts to the absence of one of the kidneys, all foods can be introduced into the diet, but gradually.

Active lifestyle and pregnancy

Without one kidney, a person continues to lead his usual way of life. But there are minor limitations. When playing sports, you need to monitor your physical well-being. People with such a pathology should maintain a general tone through various sports (gymnastics, oriental dances). Doctors advise people with one kidney to lead an active lifestyle. They believe that aggressive contact sports, as well as those that have a high degree of injury, should be excluded. With regard to such an important issue as pregnancy, doctors here say that a person can endure, give birth to a baby even with one kidney. The body adapts, increasing the functionality of a healthy organ. True, the reason for the absence of a kidney is of great importance in predicting pregnancy and childbirth. Any question regarding procreation should be discussed with a personal physician. With congenital pathology, it is enough for a woman to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist about a planned pregnancy. If the kidney was removed, you should wait with the offspring for about 2 to 3 years after the operation. Pregnancy is desirable after the adaptation of a healthy organ to an increased load. A woman carries a child with one kidney without any problems. The pregnancy is proceeding normally. Even urine tests differ little from those taken by women with two kidneys. Before pregnancy, it is advisable for a woman to be examined by a nephrologist or urologist. Life with one kidney is not a dangerous pathology that could make a person inferior.

The kidneys are the most important organs of a living being. In their absence or complete removal without the connection of hemodialysis (“artificial kidney”), human life is impossible. To answer the question “Is it possible to live with one kidney?”, First of all, you need to understand the functions of this organ.

Characteristics of the kidneys

The kidneys are paired organs that excrete unnecessary and harmful metabolic products, toxins from the body. Main function:

filtration of blood constituents; excretion of metabolic by-products from the body; formation of urine.

But these are not all the tasks that the kidneys perform in the body. Their additional features:

Direct participation in hematopoiesis. Osmoregulation - maintaining the proper level of water and the percentage of salts in the body. Ionoregulation - adjusting the balance of acids and alkalis in the blood plasma. Metabolism (metabolism) - the formation of vitamins, maintaining the volume of lipids (fats), carbohydrates and proteins at the proper level in internal fluids. Endocrine function - the production of hormones that are responsible for the regulation of the total volume of circulating blood, the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow, and the preservation of the right amount of water in the body.

Possible reasons for the absence of an organ

According to statistics, 0.05% of people, which is about one in five out of 10 thousand, live with one kidney, without even knowing it. A person can have a single organ for a number of reasons:

Aplasia, agenesis of an organ - underdevelopment or congenital absence of an organ. Dysplasia - this is the name of a defect in the kidney tissue that does not allow the organ to carry out its functions. Nephrectomy is a forced surgical removal of an organ. This measure is necessary in the presence of large cysts on the kidney, urolithiasis with purulent lesions, the formation of axalate stones in the organ, serious developmental anomalies, a malignant tumor, physical trauma, accompanied by decay of the kidney tissues. Kidney donation to another person.

Diagnosis of the first two cases is carried out by the following methods:

magnetic resonance angiography; CT multispectral; CT spiral; angiography-X-ray of the kidneys.

Features of the functioning of one organ

Is it possible to live with one kidney: consequences

The consequences may be as follows:

violation of the main renal functions; high blood pressure (hypertension); formation of adhesions, hernia in the abdominal region; recurrence of tumor formation (if the kidney was removed due to damage to its cancer cells).

The main rules of a fulfilling life

How to live fully with one kidney:

Optimal dietary ingredients

How to live with one kidney in full force? Follow a certain diet. It reduces the load on the only functioning organ and the urinary system as a whole, helps to recover faster.

The main conditions of the diet during the rehabilitation period:

Dairy, sour-milk products - 2-3 times a week. The restriction is due to the calcium content in this food - its high concentration can cause the formation of sand in the kidney. Low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cream are allowed. Fruits and vegetables. These products, both boiled and fresh, should make up 70-80% of all food consumed. They are easily digestible, contain an optimal set of vitamins, and have a beneficial effect on digestion. Lipids. Unrefined cold-pressed vegetable oils are acceptable: mustard, sesame, sunflower, olive, corn, linseed. Carbohydrates. It is recommended that the patient refuse simple types: sugars, sweets, carbonated drinks, bakery products made from white flour. Preference for complex carbohydrates: grain black bread, cereals, bran, vegetables. Proteins. The amount of protein intake (meat, fish - only low-fat varieties, eggs) should be reduced to 2-3 meals per week. Liquids. In order not to overload the only functioning organ, you should drink no more than 1-1.5 liters of fluid per day. This volume will not overload the kidney and at the same time will help to remove all toxins from the body. Preference for vegetable and fruit juices diluted with water, fruit drinks. Do not abuse strong black and green tea, coffee, meat broths. Spices. Salt intake should be minimized.

Starvation, vegetarianism, a raw food diet are undesirable - such a diet can deprive the kidney of a supporting layer of fat, thanks to which it is held tightly in place.

Preference is given to fresh products. When storing them, you need to pay attention to its conditions, the rules of freezing. They eat several times a day in small portions, at the same time.

quail eggs; low-fat dairy products; unsalted hard cheese; pasta from durum wheat varieties; low-fat fish; cereals; vegetable broths; low-fat veal, rabbit meat; "white meat" poultry - chicken, turkey; honey; fruit and berry juices, jelly , mousses, cocktails, compotes; bran bread; first courses according to vegetarian recipes, but with the addition of butter; lettuce, beets, cucumbers, cauliflower, potatoes.

Unhealthy food

How to live with one kidney without problems? Avoid the following foods completely:

preservation, home and store, including from marinades and pickles; sausages, sausages, smoked meats, semi-finished products; sweets containing white sugar; pastries from white flour; sweet carbonated water; medicinal mineral drinks (especially containing sodium); any alcohol - even beer; fatty meat and broths from it; salty, fried, spicy foods; onions, garlic, tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms.

Undesirable: legumes, fish, meat broths, salted cheeses, milk chocolate, sorrel, celery, parsley, radish, radish.

Sport

One kidney and pregnancy

Life with one kidney is quite possible without special restrictions, and such a condition does not necessarily mean a disability.

The kidneys are a paired organ

The kidneys are a paired organ. They have a very important function, which is to cleanse the blood of various toxins and toxins and remove them with urine.

In addition, the kidneys are involved in the regulation of blood pressure, maintaining a constant volume of fluid in all cells of the body.

However, their unique feature is that if one of these organs is lost, the other almost completely takes over its functions.

This leads to some increase in its size, but this is physiologically normal.

It is for this reason that some people, as a result of congenital pathology, lead a completely normal life with only one kidney, not even suspecting their pathology.

True, 25-30 years after the loss of an organ, some disturbances in the functioning of the body may be observed. Basically it is high blood pressure.

Disability to people with one kidney is given only if there is a significant violation of the function of the remaining organ.

Causes of organ loss

In some cases, due to congenital anatomical pathology, a child may be born without a kidney at all (agenesis) or with an underdeveloped organ (aplasia), which is unable to perform its functions.

Congenital anatomical pathology

This anomaly is usually unilateral. However, bilateral aplasia or agenesis also occurs in severe cases. In such cases, the risk of intrauterine fetal death is high.

But in the event that the child is still born, his further life is possible only with an emergency kidney transplant.

You can also lose a kidney as a result of a nephrectomy due to a serious illness. Of course, doctors do everything to preserve the tissues of the organ as much as possible, but this is not always possible.

As a result of a prolonged violation of the outflow of urine, squeezing of the organ, trauma, irreversible death of a large area of the renal tissue, rupture of the kidney can occur. In this case, the organ must be completely removed.

However, they do this only after they are convinced of the normal functioning of the other kidney.

Only if, with a congenital anomaly, adaptation to life with one kidney occurs in infancy, then after nephrectomy it takes from six months to two years.

Moreover, due to an increase in the size of the second kidney, a person may feel a dull aching pain on this side.

A person can live with one kidney even after he has donated the second to another person for transplantation.

Lifestyle

Risk of injury

Naturally, it is possible to live safely with one kidney, subject to very simple rules. First of all, it is necessary to give up bad habits, smoking and alcohol consumption.

Much attention should be paid to physical activity. In principle, a person with one kidney can play any sport. However, injury should be avoided.

Evening walks can also be included in the daily routine.

One of the reasons for the development of diseases of the urinary system is the weakening of the immune system. Therefore, to prevent such complications, one should closely engage in hardening.

However, these procedures should be approached competently and in no case should hypothermia be allowed.

Diet

Diet in case of kidney loss should be given considerable attention. This is especially true if the nephrectomy was performed to treat a disease of the urinary system.

The diet should be designed in such a way that the food is high-calorie, but at the same time, with a sufficient protein content.

Diet

Living with one kidney obliges you to completely abandon alcohol, drinks containing caffeine. Preference should be given to green or herbal tea, fruit drinks and compotes.

Salty, spicy, spicy, pickled and smoked dishes should be excluded from the diet.

Meat and fish are best boiled or steamed. In this case, it is worth choosing low-fat varieties. You can consume them no more than three times a week.

Product restrictions

Flour products, with the exception of black and cereal bread, and sweets are best excluded. To fill the need for carbohydrates, it is better to eat oatmeal and buckwheat porridge, potatoes.

Dairy and dairy products should be limited. It is better to give preference to sour cream and cream.

There is a lot to be learned from the vegetarian lifestyle. The diet should contain a sufficient amount of vegetables and fruits.

Also, special attention should be paid to the drinking regimen. During life with one kidney, the daily volume of fluid drunk should average about a liter.

Salt intake should also be limited. As for the mode of eating, fractional meals are preferable, 5-6 times a day.

Features of pregnancy

With one kidney, it is possible not only to live, but also to bear a child without much risk. A prerequisite for a successful pregnancy is at least a two-year break from the moment of nephrectomy.

During this period, the second kidney will have time to adapt to new living conditions.

The process of preparing for pregnancy must necessarily include a consultation with a nephrologist. In the process of bearing a child, the attending physician prescribes more detailed blood and urine tests.

Also, a woman should be observed by a nephrologist for all 9 months.

In what cases it is necessary to see a doctor

You can live with one kidney for a long time and lead a normal life. However, there are certain situations when in no case should a visit to the doctor be postponed.

Visit to the doctor

change (increase or decrease) in the volume of urine excreted; increased urination; the appearance of blood in the urine, its turbidity; pain syndrome in the area of the remaining kidney; fever, especially against the background of the absence of symptoms of acute respiratory infections; persistent increase in blood pressure, which is not amenable to medical correction.

In the absence of these symptoms, you can undergo a general examination once a year. It should include clinical blood and urine tests, ultrasound.

Most people think that life with one kidney is something incredible and deadly, from which you can die immediately, but this is not so. After the removal of the organ, the patient only needs to help his own body tune in to full functioning, and then the remaining organ will take over all the functions and the person will not be any different from other people. In order for life to be full, and health not to bother for many years, the patient just needs to follow the doctor's recommendations.

Why can't there be a kidney?

Despite the fact that physiologically the kidney is a paired organ, there are people who have only a single organ from birth. Born with such a pathology, sometimes they don’t even know about the features of their body. The reason for this may be:

Congenital absence of an organ -.
Pathology in which the kidney does not perform its functions as a result of abnormal development -.
Surgery that removes the entire kidney is called a radical nephrectomy. Removal is often prescribed for HIV-infected people, with diabetes mellitus, oncology, traumatic damage to one of a pair of organs.
(donation).

How does one share function?

If a person has 1 organ, it takes over all the functions.

A person can live a full life with a single kidney, and, following certain rules, not worry about his condition. When an organ is removed or its congenital absence, all “duties” are taken over by the second kidney. As a result of a double amount of work, the organ increases slightly, but compensatory hypertrophy is not an anomaly, and if the second kidney functions in full mode, then the patient is not considered disabled.

Adverse aspects of living with one kidney

If a person was born with one kidney, then the urinary system is initially predisposed to the functioning of one organ, therefore this does not affect human health in any way. If the organ was removed, then the body has some difficulties for the first time, but after 2-3 months it starts working. Therefore, the vast majority of the operation has no negative consequences. People rarely encounter unfavorable aspects. They appear as:

adhesive disease or hernia in the abdominal cavity;
chronic hypertension;
violations in the work of the genitourinary system.

Basic rules of healthy lifestyle

The main task for people who have a single kidney is to strictly adhere to certain dietary restrictions and observe the drinking regimen. In children, ice cream is excluded from the diet, and in adults - alcohol and cigarettes. In addition, bodybuilding training is contraindicated due to the consumption of large amounts of protein and sports that can lead to injury to the organ are excluded. In any exercise, the athlete should not overstrain. If a person is steaming in a bath, he should not immediately plunge into cold water. It is important to lead a mobile lifestyle, review the mode of work and regularly visit a nephrologist. A well-deserved ode is dedicated to one kidney for the fact that a person does not need to change his dreams and personal preferences: a girl can give birth to a child, and a guy can play sports.

Nutrition and drinking regimen

A sick person needs to drink less water.

To live to a ripe old age with one kidney, you need to eat right. The diet is aimed at reducing the load on the kidney, therefore, it provides healthy, fast-digesting and low-calorie food. A person eats fractionally, and the menu for the week contains the entire list of vitamins and minerals needed by the body. It is best to cook boiled, stewed and baked dishes. At the same time, the use of salt is limited, spices are generally excluded. In addition, they halve the amount of protein consumed, and allow themselves fatty and fried foods only for the holidays.

The balance of fluid in the body is very important, since its excess burdens the body, and its deficiency contributes to blood intoxication. You need to drink less water than a healthy person - about 1 liter per day. In addition to filtered drinking water, the patient can consume fresh juices, fresh juices, herbal teas and compotes. It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol, beer and strong coffee. Such care allows the kidney to perform cleansing functions without being overworked. As soon as a person woke up, it is worth drinking half a glass of clean water.

What should you eat?

If a person has the absence of one kidney, you can safely eat:

dairy products;
cereals;
pasta;
low-fat varieties of fish (hake, pollock, flounder, carp);
eggs.

It is worth eating vegetables, fruits and berries. But if a person is overweight, you should not go on a vegetable diet or a raw food diet, as this threatens to lower the organ. In addition, the body needs good nutrition.

Dietary restrictions

Mushrooms are prohibited for people with 1 kidney.

To facilitate the work of the kidney, exclude from the diet:

salty, spicy and pickled foods;
smoked meats and sausages;
rich broths;
sweet dough and bread;
mushrooms, onions and garlic;
chocolate, ice cream;
mineral water;
spinach, sorrel, parsley.

sports training

Physical labor is good for the kidney. To fully live with one kidney, it is worth doing morning exercises every day. Useful yoga, fitness, aerobics. If a person is fond of sports, then he can choose cycling, swimming or hiking. At the same time, you need to understand that training should be moderate. You can not do strong loads on the body, because there are restrictions: bodybuilding, weightlifting and martial arts are not recommended. Negative consequences can also come from football and basketball. If the organ was removed, then a person will be able to start physical activity after at least 3 months, but this issue is individually negotiated with the doctor.

Often people who have one kidney live for many years without getting sick, and only accidentally find out that from birth they have one organ functioning. Living with one kidney involves following certain rules that can help maintain health for many years. It is believed that one kidney can take over the functions of two. At the same time, people do not have to severely limit themselves in actions and change their lifestyle. For such a person, sports are not contraindicated, and moderate physical labor is even necessary. Women may not refuse pregnancy: they have a chance, with the help of doctors, to endure and give birth to a healthy child, and then calmly take care of him. There are no negative consequences.

How does one kidney function?

Rules for a full life for a person with one kidney

Giving up bad habits will allow you to live a full life.

Proper nutrition and restrictions

The basis of nutrition should be easily digestible food.

rich pastries and fresh white bread;
canned food, sausages and semi-finished products;
rich broths, fatty meat;
mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, onions and garlic;
mineral water with sodium;

bran bread;
vegetarian first courses with butter;
turkey, veal, rabbit (meat a week after surgery);
eggs and dairy products;
potatoes, beets, cauliflower, cucumbers and lettuce;
cereals;
tea, compote, fruit and vegetable juices, with the addition of drinking water.

Ready meals should be warm, not hot and not too cold. You can eat fresh vegetables and fruits, but you should not do experiments that can affect health (especially when it comes to children) and switch to starvation or a raw food diet, which can lead to a decrease in internal fat that holds the kidney in place. You need to drink fluids in moderation. Those who have one kidney at birth or as a result of an operation may well be engaged in physical education. Please note that the athlete must eat in a special way. What to do in this case? For example, bodybuilding, in addition to training, involves an increased protein content in the diet, which is undesirable for those who, being sick, will try to build muscle mass in this way. It is believed that you should avoid activities where there is a high probability of injury: football, basketball, boxing. From an injury to a single kidney, there is a risk of living the rest of your life thanks to dialysis and dying early.

Recently, however, doctors are not so categorical, because severe injuries of the organ are quite rare. Therefore, children and young people who were born without a kidney can start classes without fear. How long they will last - see how you feel. Training will not affect health. If, as a parent, you are apprehensive, have your child enjoy the pool a few times a week. This activity strengthens health, improves immunity. Lifestyle enhances its quality.

Why can people only have one kidney?
How many live with one kidney on average?
Sports with only one kidney
Question about diet

Many people live with one kidney, and this is far from news. Life with one kidney is quite a common phenomenon in which you can remain viable.

Why can people only have one kidney?

There are three main reasons:

A person has only one kidney from birth. In the world of medicine, this trend is considered under the definition of renal agenesis. There is also the concept of kidney dysplasia, when a born child has 2 kidneys, but only one of them is fully functional. Most people born with this problem are able to lead a full and healthy life, even though they are attributed to disability.
One kidney was removed due to injury or serious illness after surgery (for example, cancer).
Donation by a healthy person for the benefit and health of another who needs a transplant.

The accelerated growth of one kidney allows it to do the same work as if there were two.

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How many live with one kidney on average?

Many people living with one kidney have minor problems, but they are fairly common. In addition, there are some problems that come to light and make themselves felt after a longer period.