Quality of life with one kidney. Symptoms of pathology in a child. Optimal dietary ingredients

The kidneys are very complex mechanism necessary for the life of every person. it paired organ excretory system.

If they do not work properly, there is a need to connect. Indeed, technically a person can live without these organs, but it is quite difficult to do this.

An ideally healthy person is born with two kidneys, but in general, one is enough for normal life. If the patient completely refused to work both, then he becomes dependent on hemodialysis, that is, "".

What are kidneys for?

Throughout a person's life, the kidneys filter all the fluid. They help to remove toxins and toxins from the body, while eliminating infections and microorganisms from the blood.

Purification occurs due to the filters that are on the kidneys. They're called " ". Most diseases develop precisely when nephrons are damaged.

In the kidneys, fluid combines with substances and turns into urine. They also produce vitamin D. It is needed for the absorption of calcium by the bones.

This important organ controls blood pressure and is involved in the production of red blood cells.

How one organ works

At normal functioning two organs of the body evenly distribute the load on both organs. But if certain violations occurred and one organ stopped working, then the second takes over the entire load. It gradually increases in size.

But there are a number of cases when there is a failure in the work of two organs at once. In this case, a person can survive only thanks to substitution therapy.

Causes of loss of working capacity

Often there are examples when a person is born with 3 kidneys at once, but examples of the presence of one organ are also recorded:


Much depends on the reason why two kidneys stopped working. There are 3 in total:

  1. Postrenal occurs due to a problem with the excretion of urine due to a narrow urinary passage. For example, this can occur with necrotic papillitis, prostate adenoma.
  2. Renal- appears due to problems with the functioning of this organ, as side effect from the application medicines. The work of the “filter” of the body is also disrupted due to chronic diseases.
  3. prerenal failure occurs after thrombosis, diabetes or atherosclerosis.

There are a number of other reasons that may also affect the operation of these internal organs. For example, this may be due to increased amount potassium in the body chronic disorders in the functioning of the kidneys, as well as dehydration due to diarrhea and vomiting.

Clinical picture

In case of violation of the work of the kidneys, failures in the work of several functions occur at once: pressure control, urine production and hematopoiesis.

In the presence of any type kidney failure impaired urine production. The disease develops gradually, but leads to very serious consequences.

Symptoms to look out for:

A complete failure of the body has other symptoms. For example, swelling of tissues, increased bleeding of the gums, insufficient amount of Magnesium in the body, refusal to eat,.

What can a complete failure of functionality lead to?

With prolonged circulatory disorders, there may gradually occur serious consequences. Uremic toxins are formed in the body. First of all, the central nervous system. First, a tremor of the hands and head develops, and a convulsive syndrome gradually occurs.

Due to disturbances in the production of erythropoietin, anemia develops. This is the very first symptom that indicates the presence of kidney failure.

Immunity problems arise due to circulatory problems. The body cannot defeat infectious diseases.

May appear stomach bleeding as well as disruptions in the work endocrine system and cardiovascular. In this case, failures in the work of the heart lead to an even greater aggravation of the disease or the occurrence of a heart attack or stroke.

What needs to be done?

From one healthy kidney a person lives without problems, but what if two organs do not function at once? There are two options for solving this issue: kidney transplantation from healthy person or permanent hemodialysis.

The problem is that there is no 100% guarantee that the new organ will take root. There are examples when the body begins to perceive it as foreign body, and lymphocytes do everything to destroy the organ.

In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will prescribe the use of drugs to lower immunity.

The use of a donor organ requires the patient to pay special attention to the body. For example, you should follow a diet for life, carefully monitor your weight, completely abandon the use of alcoholic beverages. You also need to regularly visit a doctor and take tests.

Therapy Methods

With hemodialysis and diet, there is a chance to live a long and happy life.

The kidneys are a very important organ for the functioning of the whole body. A person can live in peace with one healthy kidney, but if two organs fail at once, then it is necessary to take emergency measures. Timely examination and treatment will help to cope with this problem.

There are three main reasons why people have only one kidney: congenital pathology, removal of a kidney during surgery due to illness, and donor donation. Congenital pathologies include:

Renal agenesis is when one kidney is missing from birth;

Renal aplasia - there is a kidney, but it is not fully formed, therefore it does not function;

Kidney dysplasia - when there are two kidneys, but only one works.

Surgery to remove the kidney is possible for diseases such as a large tumor, kidney failure, and kidney injury that destroys the parenchyma, the tissue that performs the work of the organ.

What are the difficulties of living with one kidney

One healthy kidney can work on its own. In order to cope with its functions, it increases in size due to the rapid cell division or cell growth. The transplanted kidney develops according to the same principle.

The absence of one kidney does not affect life expectancy in any way. These people, like everyone else, have minor health problems. They have blood pressure slightly above the norm, so in old age they often suffer from hypertension. But the main diseases are associated with the organs of the urinary system.

Symptoms of possible complications:

Lack of urine or a decrease in its volume;

Arterial hypertension;

Pain and colic in a healthy kidney.

If these signs are present, you should immediately consult a doctor. In addition, once a year it is necessary to pass full examination and take urine and blood tests.

Life with one kidney: nutrition and sports

People with one kidney are allowed to play sports. For them, the usual warm-up exercises, yoga, walking or running are suitable. And you can play team sports, such as football, only with the permission of your doctor. It is also forbidden to engage in martial arts, karate, boxing and other types of wrestling.

Stick to special diet necessary for people with diseases associated with a healthy kidney or other organs. For the rest, there are no strict dietary restrictions. However, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, lean meat or fish, and rye flour bread must be present in the diet.

All dishes should be steamed. You can not eat canned food, pickles, smoked meats and fatty foods. It is also recommended to exclude the use of alcoholic beverages.

Now you know that a person with one kidney has a full and rich life. He also works, sleeps, eats, rests, walks, like the rest normal people. He, like everyone else, must monitor his health, adhere to proper nutrition and exercise.

How long do people live with one kidney? This question is asked by people who, due to various circumstances, have lost this important body. I hasten to reassure you. Most people continue life normally with one kidney, however, it is very important to constantly take care of your health and periodically check with a doctor, take certain tests that a specialist will prescribe.

A kidney can be lost during life, or it can be lost as a result of illness or injury, as well as during transplantation (transplantation) of it to another person. If a person was born with one kidney, then during his life it acquires big sizes and practically replaces two kidneys, which helps it cope with the load that both paired organs usually perform. So people in this situation lead quite ordinary life and live as long as they are measured, not forgetting to be examined annually by a specialist.

If the kidney is removed due to illness or injury, then a person should constantly monitor their health, since a double burden is imposed on the kidney in terms of functioning. Violation of its function can occur gradually, after 25 years or more. There is a chance that blood pressure may rise. On average, life expectancy in this situation does not change. Many people live fully with one kidney, but with some limitations.

How often will a person have to be examined with one kidney? On average, kidney function should be checked once a year unless there is reason to do so earlier. Usually rent general analysis urine, blood, in addition, it is worth checking blood pressure, and the doctor may prescribe any additional examination.

Some people are interested in the question, is it possible to play sports with one kidney? As you know, physical activity is beneficial for a person, however, the lumbar region should be protected from injury. Some doctors do not recommend contact sports such as boxing, football, martial arts, or wrestling.

Better in time sports events wear special protective clothing, such as a vest, which will help protect the kidneys from various injuries during sports activities, which will help reduce the risk, but, of course, not completely eliminate it.

Many are interested in whether it is necessary to adhere to some special diet with one kidney? Most people don't need to diet. But if a person has kidney failure, then dietary restrictions are shown.

How long does a person live with one kidney? Those people who donated their kidney can live a long time, its absence does not affect the quality of life, as well as its duration. Nevertheless, you still should not forget that the kidney is one and the body should be protected from excessive stress.

The kidneys are a pair of vital organs human body however, life with one kidney is fairly common these days. According to statistical estimates, 0.05% of the world's population, including children, live with only one organ. But the irony is that most people don't know about it.

The main function of the kidneys is to remove water and other water-soluble liquids from the body, or rather, to regulate the body's ionic-acid balance.. But in addition to this, the following functions are also put on the kidneys:

endocrine function of the kidneys

  1. Endocrine - the production of hormones that regulate blood flow and normalize blood pressure.
  2. Metabolic - processing of products entering the body and their distribution.
  3. Ion regulating- normalization of acid-base balance.
  4. Osmoregulatory- regulation of osmotic substances in body fluids.

The kidneys are a paired organ and work together, respectively. Therefore, life after kidney removal changes dramatically and not in better side. One kidney does not cope with all the tasks assigned to it, which often causes the development of acute renal failure..

Causes of pathology

Unfortunately, there are quite a few reasons why a person is forced to exist with one kidney (one working one) - these are congenital and acquired pathologies.

To congenital pathologies include:

  1. Renal agenesis is the anatomical absence of one kidney or its underdevelopment. Typically, a child early age has no problems, but here with the onset adolescence, the disease begins to manifest itself.
  2. Dysplasia is a problematic development of kidney tissues, as a result of which the organ is unable to fully perform its functions.

There are a number of factors that force a person to give up one, sometimes even an absolutely healthy kidney:

After the removal operation, the remaining organ begins to work with a double load and very often it cannot cope. Hypertrophy occurs - this is the compensatory ability of the kidney, which provokes an increase in the size of its body in order to work more productively.

Important! If you are aware of your existing kidney problems, you need to constant control a doctor who conducts a thorough examination, prescribes certain tests, namely biochemical analysis blood for kidney tests.

This study includes three main indicators:

  • creatinine is the substance responsible for metabolic processes in muscle tissue, norm - 53-115 µmol;
  • urea is the end product metabolic processes, norm - 2.8-7.2 μmol;
  • uric acid is a product that is formed as a result of the breakdown of purine substances, the norm is 150-420 µmol.

A significant excess of these indicators indicates that the renal balance is disturbed, the body cannot cope with the processing of all these substances that accumulate in the body.

How to live with one kidney?

Many people who are faced with a similar problem often ask themselves the question - how to live with one kidney? In fact, not everything is as scary as it seems. Of course, life without kidneys is absolutely impossible, one kidney is able to cope with its task. Of course, it is necessary to completely change the usual way of life, or not to break it if the pathology is congenital.

Most people experience no change after a kidney operation other than a 200 gram weight loss. There are no associated health problems, the main thing is to adhere to simple rules, namely:


For a person without a kidney, it is advisable to follow the following recommendations:

Full recovery occurs within two months, subject to full compliance with all the rules. Under the clear guidance and supervision of a doctor, even one organ is able to absolutely fulfill all functional duties.

A diet will help to live with one kidney without any complications and fears. If we talk about general recommendations cooking, it is best to avoid fried foods. Can be boiled, baked, steamed, stewed. You need to look not at the products in in general terms, and on their components:

  1. Protein . It is necessary to limit its use. Eat meat and fish low-fat varieties in small quantities (150 grams per day).
  2. Carbohydrates . The diet includes complex carbohydrates ( fresh vegetables, cereals). Simple carbohydrates such as sugar and flour should be avoided.
  3. Milk products. High concentration calcium, which is found in milk and dairy products, can be debugged in the form of sand, so milk should not be consumed more than twice a week.
  4. Herbs and spices. It is recommended to salt the food as little as possible, and only after it is cooked.

Life expectancy with one kidney

The main question that interests all those who have undergone a kidney removal operation is how long do people with such a diagnosis live? It must be said that in most cases this anomaly is completely typical, many people live with only one capable organ, without even knowing about it.

Removal of the kidney has to be done in case of inflammation or accumulation of fluid and stones in it. After such surgery, a person does not even receive a disability. Accordingly, such a loss does not affect life expectancy at all. A completely different question is whether a person can lead a normal, familiar lifestyle at the same time, whether it is possible to actively engage in sports, eat whatever you want.

Of course, physical activity is beneficial and strengthens the body, but it is very important to know the measure in any respect. It is possible and necessary for a person with one kidney to go in for sports, you just need to protect yourself from injuries, you should not lift too heavy weight, because a hernia may occur, which will lead to displacement of internal organs. Of course, you will have to avoid active, contact species sports such as wrestling, boxing and other martial arts.

Can a person live fully with one kidney up to old age, a rather ambiguous question. Many of these people constantly have minor health problems.

If the kidney was removed in early childhood or its absence is congenital anomaly, there is every chance for a trouble-free life, where there will be no complications in the work of the kidneys, since from early childhood healthy organ learned to compensate for the lack of remote.

But here is the loss of a vital organ in a more adulthood has its consequences. A person must radically change the way of life, nutrition, and, possibly, the environment of existence ( geographical position, work).

Statistics say that for every ten thousand people, about five live with one kidney. And in many cases, it completely assumes the duties of the absent one, performing endocrine, osmoregulatory, metabolic, ionoregulatory, hematopoietic functions. It even happens that a person does not even suspect that he has one kidney.

Why does a person lack one kidney

There are several such reasons:

  • missing from birth
  • developmental anomaly when it is in its infancy;
  • loss due to some circumstances (for example, injury or donation);
  • loss as a result of surgery - nephrectomy.

Life with one kidney is possible, and many examples are proof of this. After all, a person can achieve many successes in work, sports, and personal life with such a defect. However, after nephrectomy for any urological disease the patient's life changes.

What to do if a person has only one working kidney

If a person has one kidney from birth or after surgery, then the remaining organ will take over the functions of the lost one. The remaining kidney will grow somewhat faster. As a result, it will become almost the same size as two healthy organs.

Thus, compensatory mechanisms occur in the body. The excretion of metabolic products will occur in the same volume as in a healthy person. Thus, he can fully live with one organ, and pathological processes will not occur in the body.

Life after nephrectomy

If the doctor recommends for any reason to remove the kidney, do not panic. Usually postoperative period proceeds without complications. A person in such cases can live a full life. However, he will have to adhere to some restrictions.

Immediately after the operation, the patient is shown bed rest. Food should be sparing. A further period of adaptation is associated with compensatory mechanisms in the body. The kidney at the same time slightly increases in volume. This process is accompanied by mild pain, which soon disappears.

After nephrectomy, the patient needs:

  • adhere to gentle physical activity;
  • temper.

The diet should be high in calories and consist of easily digestible foods. The basis of the diet should be:

  • vegetable and fruit dishes;
  • rye flour bread;
  • dairy products;
  • low-fat meat and fish dishes.

It is necessary to exclude fried, smoked, as well as canned food and marinades. Must comply drinking regimen. It is impossible to sharply limit the amount of liquid and salt, as this will be harmful.

Preventive measures after surgery are simple:

  • prevention and treatment of infectious diseases;
  • treatment of chronic diseases;
  • avoidance of hypothermia;
  • visiting a urologist to monitor the condition of the remaining kidney.

In general, life with one kidney is not much different from the life of other people. Young women should not worry about the birth of a child: this is quite acceptable. Although on examination future mother the doctor takes into account the various individual cases.

Possible complications after surgery

Sometimes in long term patients with one kidney have some risk of complications. First of all, this is a violation of the functions of the organ, especially if the remaining kidney had a pathology. Such patients should be monitored blood pressure, since there are chances of developing hypertension, for changes in the urine, your feelings.

Lifestyle with chronic kidney disease

The life of a patient with the development of chronic renal failure (CRF) is more limited. Therapeutic activities aimed at preserving the functions of the body. They allow the patient to live as long as possible.

Patients with CKD need:

  • do not use nephrotoxic drugs;
  • limit salt;
  • limit the amount of proteins;
  • eat fresh vegetables and fruits;
  • increase the amount of fats and carbohydrates;
  • exclude fried, smoked, pickled foods, as well as coffee, chocolate, tea.

The goal of treatment is to slow the rate of progression of the deficiency as much as possible. With inefficiency conservative treatment use active therapy. It consists of such measures.

  1. Hemodialysis, or artificial purification of blood through the apparatus "artificial kidney".
  2. Peritoneal dialysis - cleansing the blood by introducing a special fluid, which is then drained to the outside.
  3. Healthy kidney transplant.

So, a person with one kidney can live active life. It is limited only in cases of chronic renal failure. In such cases, the most in an efficient way treatment is transplantation.

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