Pyeloplasty
Removing the narrow segment where the kidney drains into the ureter.
What is Pyeloplasty?
An operation that removes the narrowed junction between the kidney and the ureter and rejoins them widely, so urine drains freely. It can be done through a small flank incision or laparoscopically.
Hospital stay
Typically 3 to 5 days.
Performed by
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
- Normal
- The problem
- Fluid or contrast
Why It Is Done
Surgery is advised in these situations. The decision is always made after examining your child, never from a description.
- A renogram has shown genuine obstruction with delayed drainage
- The affected kidney is below normal function, or is falling on repeat testing
- Swelling is increasing on serial ultrasound
- The child has recurrent pain, vomiting or kidney infections
Before the Day
- Ultrasound and a diuretic renogram confirm the diagnosis and measure each kidney
- Blood tests and urine culture
- A urine infection is treated before surgery
During the Operation
- General anaesthetic
- The narrow segment is excised and a wide, funnelled join created
- A stent or drainage tube is usually left for a few weeks
- Typically two to three hours
Afterwards, and at Home
- Three to five days in hospital
- Discomfort settles within a week or two
- School and normal play in two to three weeks
- The stent is removed in a short second procedure a few weeks later
What Can Go Wrong
- Leak from the join in the early days, usually managed with drainage
- Narrowing recurring, which is uncommon but would need a further procedure
- Infection, bleeding, or stent discomfort
- Function already lost before surgery does not return
Every operation carries risk. These are listed openly because a parent consenting to surgery is entitled to know them — not because they are expected. The surgeon will go through which of them actually apply to your child.
Common Questions
If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the hospital team will answer.
Dr. Pratheep Samraj
Consultant Paediatric & Neonatal Surgeon · Palliyadi, Kanyakumari
Super-specialist surgical care for newborns, infants and children, with expertise in paediatric urology, congenital anomalies, gastro-intestinal surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
A pyeloplasty should follow a renogram, not a scan alone.
Swelling on ultrasound is not proof of a blockage, and many children with it never need the operation. Bring the scans and you will be told whether your child actually does.
Consultation 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM & 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM · 24-hour laboratory & pharmacy
In an emergency — green vomiting in a baby, a groin swelling that will not go back, severe tummy pain, or a newborn not passing urine or meconium — come straight to the hospital or to your nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a reply to a message.