Everything I need to know about a single kidney

Everything I need to know about a single kidney

Can you live with only one kidney? What happens if you’re born with one kidney? Or if one of them stops working?

Read this article to find out what side effects there are to having one kidney, and the changes you might need to make to your lifestyle.

Most people have 2 kidneys, so to have just one working can be a bit of a worry. However, with a few precautions and a healthy lifestyle, people with one kidney usually live a normal life.

“One in 1000 people are born with one kidney and very few have problems”

Will having one kidney cause any problems? Will it affect how long I live?

Having just one kidney causes very few problems.

Though most people are born with two kidneys, a single kidney can perform enough of the normal function to support the body.

This means people with a single kidney do not have any problems with routine, sporting or sexual activity, or strenuous work. In other words, one kidney is enough for a normal and active life.

In most cases of people born with one kidney, the diagnosis is made accidentally whilst doctors are performing an imaging test (e.g. ultrasound or CT scan) for another reason.

Here you can see an imaging scan of a person with only one kidney

What problems are there?

A small number of people with a single kidney over long periods (years), have some side effects:

• High blood pressure
• Loss of protein in the urine
• Reduction in kidney function, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) – this is very rare.

Most people with a single kidney do not need routine monitoring of their kidney function. A few do. Ask your doctor if you are one of those, and you then may need a ‘U+E’ blood test – measuring the blood creatinine level – once or twice a year.

Do I need a special diet or to stop drinking alcohol?

Most people with only one kidney do not need to follow a special diet. However, limiting your salt intake, staying hydrated and exercising regularly are all things you can do to maintain good health.

You can still drink alcohol with one kidney. However, drinking large amounts of alcohol can put strain on your liver and so you should always stay within the recommended limits.

What are the causes of a single kidney?

There are three common causes:

1. You are born with one kidney. A single kidney is more common in males, and it is usually the left kidney which is missing. [“Mm. Interesting!” CKDEx Ed]
2. One kidney is removed surgically. This might be due to:
   • Kidney stones
   • Cancer
   • Obstruction
   • Pus collection in the kidney (pyonephrosis)
   • Severe traumatic injury (typically a road traffic accident).
3. One kidney is donated for a kidney transplant.
   
   
   

Is there a risk of sudden damage to a solitary kidney?

It is rare, but yes. In the absence of a second kidney, if rapid and severe damage occurs to a solitary functioning kidney, kidney function usually worsens rapidly, and acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs.

Potential circumstances of rapid and severe damage to a solitary kidney are:

• Stone. Sudden blockage to the flow of urine due to a stone in the ureter (the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder). The blockage then causes urine to stop flowing out of the kidney
• Abdominal surgery. During abdominal surgery (and gynaecological in women), accidental ligation (tying off) of the ureter of a solitary kidney will prevent the passage of urine to the bladder
• Injury to a solitary kidney. There is a risk of injury to kidney in heavy contact sports such as boxing, rugby, hockey, martial arts and wrestling.

Such patients may need urgent dialysis – usually only until the cause of the damage can be found and reversed.

Summary

Reassuringly, the vast majority of people with a single kidney do not have problems related to it in their lifetimes.

There is more information here in a leaflet from UHCW Coventry renal team.

Click here to learn 10 interesting facts about the kidneys.

[“This is the 100th article written on this website. Mini-‘wo’” CKDEx Ed]