Sympomatic Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney

Multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) is a condition in which a child is born with cysts covering the kidney – usually just one kidney, but occasionally both. The cysts resemble bunches of grapes. The cysts formerly were discovered when the infant was born and examined. Today, with the common use of ultrasounds during pregnancy, most of these are discovered at the 20-week ultrasound.

The kidney eventually shrinks in size and becomes deformed. Treatment of choice is to leave it alone, as over time, it will be absorbed by the body. (A normal life expectancy is typical for people with just one kidney.) However, sometimes the kidney enlarges in size and presses on the stomach or lungs, or the child has abdominal pain, frequent urinary tract infections, incontinence or other symptoms. The diagnosis then changes from MCDK to symptomatic MCDK, and it may be advisable to remove the kidney.