1. Remove Urinary Tract Stones
A leading cause of obstructive uropathy is the presence of stones in the ureters and bladder. As with kidney stones, the first line of treatment is to drink plenty of fluids, as this will help the body produce urine sufficient to move the stones out of the body. If the stones are resistant, your doctor may need to remove them via cystoscope. In particularly difficult cases, it may be necessary to use extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) to break up the stones or even have them removed surgically.
2. Seek Help for Enlarged Prostate
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlargment of the prostate, is very common in older men and is often accompanied by obstructive uropathy. In order to eliminate or prevent uropathy, it is important to treat your BPH itself. Medications like alpha blockers, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and anticholinergics are quite effective should you have a milder form of BPH, as are simple lifestyle changes you can make, such as reducing your evening fluid and avoiding the types of foods that can be irritating to your bladder. Minimally invasive therapies, such as microwave thermal therapy, laser therapy and transurethral needle ablation, are available to shrink your prostate if medication doesn't quite do the trick. You can also undergo the standard surgical procedure, called a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), if your symptoms, including obstructive uropathy are severe.
3. Medicate Retroperitoneal Fibrosis
Should you happen to suffer from retroperitoneal fibrosis, the fibrous tissue mass that forms in your stomach may block your ureters, resulting in obstructive uropathy. In such a case, your doctor will probably start by prescribing anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and sometimes tamoxifen. If these medications do not work, other immune suppressants may be prescribed, and if no medication seems to correct the problem, it may be necessary for you to undergo surgery.
4. Treat Cancers of the Colon, Cervix or Uterus
Obstructive uropathy can result from tumors of the nearby organs, the most common being colon, cervical and uterine cancer. Colon cancer is usually treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy (usually in conjunction with chemo) and surgery to remove the cancerous cells. Cervical cancer can also be treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, cryotherapy, laser therapy or a procedure called LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure), which uses electricity to remove the cancerous tissue. In a more advanced case, you may need to undergo a hysterectomy. A hysterectomy may also be used to treat uterine cancer, along with radiation or chemotherapy.
