Kidney regrowth?

My daughter was diagnosed with kidney reflux when she was a baby.  One kidney was stage 3, the other 1 or 2.  She was on a low dosage antibiotic for the first 7 or 8 years of her life.  After having no UTI's over this time span it was agreed by her doctors and everybody involved that she be taken off the antibiotic.  She is now 14 years old and has not had any UTI's until recently.   Everything was great until around Easter (2008) when my daughter started complaining of kidney pain.  My wife and I thought it was back pain but were cautious and asked her daily how she felt.  The Friday before Easter (Good Friday) my daughter couldn't pee without pain.  We took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with a UTI.  The doctor recommended an ultra-sound the following week.  The results were terrible.  Her left kidney was ok, healthy and of good size.  The right was scarred and shrinking.  We are supposed to see a nephrologist on the 28th of April, 2008, to do a VCUG and consultation.

Needless to say, my wife and I are terribly upset over the shrinking kidney.  We worry that our daughter may have to have the kidney removed.  The doctor we will be seeing on the 28th is out-of-state and I just can't help scanning the internet, reading about shrinking kidneys etc...

My question is can a scarred, shrinking, kidney remain of use if the reason for the scarring and shrinking is corrected.   My daughters reflux was the type where the tubes leading from the kidneys didn't go all the way into the bladder and the result was poor urine flow which backed up into the kidneys.  If they are able to correct this, will the smaller, scarred kidney regenerate itself to at least a functioning kidney?  

Thank you for your help, Gary

[Annekathryn Goodman, M.D.]

Hi There,

There are tests to evaluate kidney function. Your daughter should see a urologist who will go over the various tests to evaluate kidneys . It is possible that because of chronic infection, that one kidney does not have good function but luckily she has a normal other kidney.
best wishes