Ureteral & Kidney Conditions
A blockage where the kidney drains into the ureter: symptoms, testing, and robotic pyeloplasty.
Written and reviewed by Shervin Badkhshan, MD · Last reviewed
November 2026
Part of:
Ureter and kidney drainage
Hospital, 1 night
Stent: several weeks
Fellowship-Trained Reconstructive Urology
AT A GLANCE
From symptoms to treatment
1. SYMPTOMS
• Flank or back pain • Infections or stones • Sometimes no symptoms
A ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction is a narrowing where the kidney drains into the ureter, the tube that carries urine to the bladder. Urine backs up and the kidney swells (hydronephrosis). It affects both men and women and can be present from birth or develop later.
What you might notice
Flank or back pain, sometimes worse after drinking a lot of fluid, infections, kidney stones, or no symptoms at all, found on a scan for something else.
How I evaluate it
A CT or ultrasound shows the swelling. A nuclear medicine renogram (MAG3) measures how much each kidney contributes and whether urine is actually blocked. That decides whether repair is worth it.
Treatment
A temporary stent can relieve pain or infection. The lasting fix is a robotic pyeloplasty: removing the narrowed segment and reconnecting the kidney to the ureter through small incisions. Most patients stay one night and have a temporary internal stent for a few weeks.
Related
Robotic ureteral reconstruction · Pyeloplasty recovery · Kidney ultrasound explained
Need an Expert Evaluation?
See Dr. Badkhshan in person in Garden City or by video visit.
Book a Consultation
Your results and questions
Your actual test results, visit notes, and messages with your care team are in your patient portal, the same one you use to book visits. Send questions through the portal or call the office at (516) 535-1900. For anything urgent, call the office or go to the nearest emergency room.