Question Title: congenital chronic Hydronephrosis & post marine infections

I am concerned about my health and wondered
if you could please answer a question:
I was diagnosed with congenital
Hydropnephrosis (chronic UPJ obstructions)
which required several alternative surgeries
(that did not work) and ended up having a
Pyeloplasty operation done (all within a
5 month period last year). The renal scan
post surgery showed that I still do not have
full use of kidney (39% vs 61%).
Now this is where I am concerned:
Can embedded coral sutured in wound cause
my marine infectionss (Cellulitis and necrotic
tissue...gangrene), and can this also lead
to secondary infections associated with
embedded coral and necrotic tissue?
I had to have another renal scan done while
being treated for necrotic Cellulitis, and
this scan basically said that I have not
changed since post surgery scan... I still only
have 39% vs 61 % kidney function.
I have developed 2 kidney infections after
my coral wound, and wondered if they are somehow
related? I also have been diagnosed with
IBS (irratible bowel syndrom) and was wondering
if that also can be related to post marine
infections?
I read that Staph infections are usually the
cause of Cellulitis, and can lead to post
kidney infections, and also be a factor
with IBS...
What is your opinion.... are all my current
health problems somehow inter related?
I have to have an IVP test done next week,
and have been back on antibiotics (cipro)
for my kidney infections (I was on Flagyl
for the IBS.. but that wasn't working becuz
of the kidney infections, so they switched
to Cipro).
I just want to heal up and get well again...
please let me know if all these weird infections are
somehow inter related to post marine infections and
gangrene. Thanks!
Thanks.

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Dear EBJ ,

Your question is an interesting one. Congenital UPJ obstruction is a common problem. Open pyeloplasty is the definitive treatment for this condition. Failure of pyeloplasty is defined as continued obstruction by renal scan. You did not mention the presence/absence of obstruction in your question therefore I must assume that your kidney is unobstructed as the success rate of pyeloplasty is greater than 90 %. Your scan demonstrated a good result 61 % function on the unaffected side and 39 % on the affected side. The prolonged blockage of the kidney for the majority of your life secondary to UPJ obstruction may have caused decrease irreversible damage to that kidney leading to decreased function on that.
The marine cellulitis that you describe is most likely unrelated to the UPJ obstruction or surgeries. Without complete information it is difficult to ascertain the time frame from operation to the onset of your infections. To my knowledge the marine infections are not associated with UPJ obstruction. Skin infections that lead to kidney damage are often due to Staph or streptococcal infection. However they do not cause kidney infection but rather a form of kidney inflammation called glomerulonephritis that can lead to kidney damage and dialysis. This does not sound like your particular problem. Metastatic kidney infections are quite uncommon. The bacteria in the urine and that in your cellulitis would need to be identical for there to be a relationship.
Inflammatory bowel disease and UPJ are also unrelated. It appears that you have two separate and difficult problems. It would be prudent to confirm the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease with colonoscopy and biopsy by an experienced gastroenterologist before surrendering to this diagnosis .
There are two points that I would like to make to you. First, if your kidney is unobstructed, you are cured of UPJ obstruction. You may simply suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections that should be treated as they occur. Second , the conditions you describe are unrelated as best I can tell from your history.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its suburban locations (1 800 653 6568).

HFHS MD-KR
*Keyword: UPJ obstruction

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