Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Weill Cornell Medicine Urology
Prenatal Hydronephrosis - Evaluation

Prenatal Hydronephrosis - Evaluation

The first important step in managing patients with prenatal findings of decreased amniotic fluid, genital malformations, or other serious anomalies is to have the child treated in a tertiary care center for delivery and management of neonatal issues. Upon delivery, a directed physical examination is important to rule out associated anomalies. A newborn ultrasound will be performed at a minimum of 48 hours of life to one month. Depending on these results, the urologist may order an x-ray test called a VCUG, which involves instilling dye into the bladder and taking x-rays while the child empties the bladder. This test helps to look for bladder abnormalities and the presence of urinary reflux.

In most cases, postnatal evaluation can be performed on an outpatient basis. Children with moderate degrees of prenatal hydronephrosis can be discharged home on amoxicillin with no further inpatient evaluation. Generally an ultrasound is not performed in the first two days of life, as the neonate is usually dehydrated, creating the potential to underestimate hydronephrosis. The first ultrasound can be performed after 3-4 weeks on an elective basis while the child continues antibiotic prophylaxis.

When the postnatal ultrasound reveals severe pelvic dilation (over 1.2 cm) and caliectasis, diuretic renography is needed to assess the degree of renal obstruction and to assess renal function. Ideally, the renography is performed after the infant is at least one month of age. 99mTc MAG-3 is the radionuclide agent of choice.

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To request an appointment, please call our office at 212-746-5337. Our phone staff are available to help you Monday-Friday, from 9AM-5PM (EST).

You can find the office contact information for each physician specializing in Prenatal Hydronephrosis by visiting their profile listed on the bottom of this webpage. 

If you'd like to learn more about our providers that specialize in Prenatal Hydronephrosis, please review the Physicians & Faculty profiles listed at the bottom of this page.

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Physicians & Faculty

Ardavan Akhavan

M.D.

212.746.5361
212.746.5361
AETNA-HMO, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, Affinity Access, Affinity Health Plan, Blue Priority Network, CIGNA, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS Pathway X, EBCBS Pathway X Enhanced, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Fidelis Care, Health First, Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP), Health Insurance Plan of NY (HIP) [Medicaid], Oxford Freedom, Oxford Health Plans [Liberty], Oxford Health Plans [Metro/Core/Charter], Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Compass, United Empire Plan, United Health Care [Community Plan], United Healthcare Commercial, VNSNY CHOICE SelectHealth
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery
Dr. Joseph Del Pizzo, M.D.

Joseph J. Del Pizzo

M.D.

(646) 962-9600
(646) 962-9600
AETNA [Medicare], AETNA-HMO, Aetna-NYP-EPO/POS, AETNA-PPO, Aetna-Weill Cornell POS, EBCBS Blue Access, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS Mediblue, EBCBS PPO/EPO, Empire BCBS HealthPlus (CHP), Federal Medicare, NY State Medicaid, Rockefeller University-CoreSource, UHC Medicare, United Healthcare Commercial
The LeFrak Center for Robotic Surgery

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