Preparation for ultrasound of kidneys and ureters

Preparation for ultrasound of the kidneys and ureters is aimed at creating optimal diagnostic conditions. Modern ultrasound equipment has a very high resolution and information capacity, but the echogenicity of some areas, zones, organs and systems due to anatomical features is difficult without preliminary preparation. This is due to the echography technology itself: ultrasound dissipates in an environment where there is air, and vice versa, it gives good reflection in a humid environment, in water. This directly concerns scanning of the kidneys and ureters, which is why the patient must follow the doctor's recommendations and observe a number of rules before the procedure.

Preparation for ultrasound examination of the kidneys and ureters consists of fairly simple but necessary rules for the examination:

• If you are prone to intestinal gas formation (flatulence), you should follow a dietary regimen, excluding all types of legumes, whole milk products, raw vegetables and fruits from your food choices. You should also avoid drinking any alcoholic or carbonated beverages. The diet should be followed for two to three days before the examination. If necessary, you can take sorbent medications and enzymes. Sometimes, as prescribed by your doctor, you should cleanse your intestines two or three days before the procedure, but you should not cleanse your intestines in the morning before the examination;
• There is no need to fast before the procedure; ultrasound is not performed on an empty stomach;
• At least an hour before the examination, you must drink a sufficient amount of liquid (up to 4 glasses). This improves the conductivity of the echo signal and increases the information content of the procedure itself. If the urge to urinate during the waiting period for the ultrasound is strong, the bladder should be emptied and the required amount of water should be drunk again.

Ultrasound examination allows for various puncture procedures. Preparation for them is fundamentally different from following the simpler rules of standard ultrasound examination of the kidneys and ureters.

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Preparation for ultrasound of the kidneys and ureters in case of nephrostomy

Nephrostomy is a special procedure for artificial drainage of the kidney. Urine can be diverted using a catheter, stent or drainage. Drainage is installed through the peritoneum, kidney tissue, and directed into the organ cavity. Nephrostomy is needed to normalize urine excretion in cases where other therapeutic methods are ineffective or impossible (oncological process, stones). If nephrostomy is not performed in time, pathological expansion of the renal cavities (hydronephrosis) and subsequent tissue atrophy may develop. Also, impaired urine outflow function is fraught with pyelonephritis. Nephrostomy can also be performed to gain access to affected ureters, for surgical intraorgan crushing of stones. Chemotherapy is often performed using this operation.

Nephrostomy under ultrasound control requires special preparation, including a set of tests that are standard before any other operation. These are general blood and urine tests, biochemical analysis, coagulogram, urography. Often, in addition to ultrasound examination of the kidneys, a CT scan is prescribed.

Preparation for ultrasound of the kidneys and ureters during laparoscopic cyst ignipuncture

Ignipuncture refers to surgical decompression procedures for opening cysts. Such surgical actions help not only to reduce the size of the cyst, but also to reduce intrarenal pressure, and therefore to minimize pain. In the absence of serious pathologies, surgical ignipuncture is replaced by percutaneous puncture, which is performed laparoscopically under the control of echography. In fact, this is an invasive puncture of cysts, which allows you to treat a fairly large number of them without open surgery. Preparation for a minor operation under local anesthesia requires following the recommendations of the attending physician. The rules of preparation depend on how many cysts will be treated and on the expected time period of the operation.

Preparation for ultrasound of the kidneys and ureters during kidney biopsy

A biopsy is performed for morphological analysis of kidney tissue using a closed method (percutaneous puncture) or an open operation (open biopsy). A piece of tissue is taken for analysis and examined for:

• Specification of diagnostics;
• Clarification of therapeutic measures;
• Monitoring the patient's condition after transplantation.

Preparatory activities include the following:

• It is necessary to take general blood and urine tests, X-rays, and urography of the kidneys;
• A coagulogram is taken, showing blood clotting, platelet count and other parameters;
• In severe hypertension, special hypotensive therapy is performed before and after the procedure;
• A preliminary ultrasound examination of the kidneys is performed;
• Eliminate or minimize the use of medications, especially anti-inflammatory or anticoagulants.

Preparation for ultrasound of the kidneys and ureters may be simple, but may also require additional actions and analytical studies. Everything depends on the disease for which the echography is performed.