Anuria is a serious medical symptom where there is little or no urine output. Causes include kidney failure, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections. Treatment options include dialysis, surgery, and medications, and follow-up care is necessary. Diagnostic steps include medical imaging and urine sample collection.
Anuria is a lack of urine output or the inability to pass anything more than a very small amount of urine. This is a very serious medical symptom and immediate treatment is required to prevent complications. Causes can include kidney failure and kidney stones, and treatment options can include dialysis, surgery, and medications, depending on what’s causing the anuria. Follow-up care is usually needed to confirm treatment success and provide the patient with tips on how to prevent future episodes.
When people experience this condition, they may feel the need to urinate and not be able to. The abdomen may feel tender and swollen, and if urine can be passed, it may be cloudy or bloody. In cases where the kidneys are not producing urine, patients may begin to experience symptoms associated with a buildup of compounds in the blood because the body cannot eliminate them by urinating.
Acute urinary tract infections can cause anuria if not treated in a timely manner, due to inflammation and debris collection in the bladder or urinary tract. Other potential causes are tumors or stones blocking the urinary tract. In these cases, small amounts of blood in the urine are common as the urinary tract struggles to pass at least some urine. The bladder may also appear swollen due to a backup of urine.
Kidney problems can also be associated with this condition. Kidney stones can block the ducts used to carry urine to the bladder, or the kidneys can fail and stop producing urine or only produce a small amount. Patients are usually very sick and in pain due to kidney failure, and anuria will be one of the symptom constellations.
Diagnostic steps to learn more about anuria may include an attempt to collect a urine sample using a syringe directed into the bladder, along with medical imaging of the bladder and kidneys. A quick ultrasound or x-ray can show blockages such as stones and tumors and can also reveal signs of inflammation such as thickening of the bladder wall. Once the cause is determined, the doctor can discuss treatment options with the patient. In an emergency where urine accumulates rapidly, the patient may be fitted with a urinary catheter to drain the bladder before it ruptures, buying time for more substantial treatment to address the blockage causing the accumulation in the first place .
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