The therapy of calcified kidney
The therapy of calcified kidneys is initially conservative (treatment that is carried out by medication or physiotherapy) and is directed against the underlying disease that caused the calcification. If the reason is a too high calcium level, a diet low in calcium should be followed. In addition, there are medications that cause more calcium to be excreted.
So it cannot deposit additionally in the kidney. Conservative treatment options include increased fluid intake. Due to the increased general excretion, more calcium can also be dissolved in the urine and thus be transported out of the body.
Another disease that can cause a calcified kidney is renal tubular acidosis, which leads to functional disorders in the kidney and thus to a false elimination of electrolytes. Depending on the type of renal tubular acidosis, different drugs are used, which lead to an increased or decreased sodium excretion or an altered potassium excretion. Diuretics (water tablets) can also be taken.
In the case of calcified kidneys, a reduced supply of calcium should be taken into account in the diet. Since calcium is mainly contained in dairy products, milk, yogurt, quark, pudding and cheese should be avoided if possible. In addition, one should not consume any food that contains relevant amounts of oxalate.
Oxalate forms a complex with calcium in the kidney and thus promotes the formation of kidney stones. Oxalate is found in blueberries, beetroot, spinach, chard, parsley, etc. Surgery is usually sought when conservative treatment options do not produce the desired effect.
If, for example, calcified kidney stones also occur, they should be removed surgically. The operation is usually very small, as it can be performed with instruments that can be pushed along the entire urinary tract. Thus, often only a small or no abdominal incision is necessary.
Surgery can also be useful if the underlying disease can be treated surgically. This is the case, for example, with a malfunction of the parathyroid gland. If this leads to an increased supply of calcium in the body, removal of the parathyroid glands can improve the calcified kidney.
In the case of a calcified kidney, a distinction must be made between different surgical options, which are used depending on the severity of the disease. If kidney stones have already formed, they can be removed endoscopically, i.e. using a device attached to a long tube. The stones can also be destroyed by means of shock wave therapy.
It is possible that the stone fragments will also have to be removed from the kidney endoscopically. Open surgery is rarely necessary for stones.In the case of a particularly severely calcified kidney, it occasionally happens that the function is so limited that part of the kidney or a whole kidney has to be removed. Such an operation should be avoided by other therapeutic measures if possible.
