A Small Kidney Saved, A Healthier Future Secured

In medicine, every saved organ is a victory — but when that patient is a child, the impact becomes even more meaningful.

This is the story of a young child whose kidney was successfully preserved through timely diagnosis, advanced evaluation, and expert surgical care by Dr. Muhammad Fayyaz at the Urology Department of Shalamar Hospital.

The child’s condition was first identified before birth during a routine prenatal ultrasound, which revealed an obstruction in one kidney present since birth. This led to a serious condition called Hydronephrosis, in which urine accumulates inside the kidney, causing swelling and gradual damage.

When the child reached eight months of age, his parents became increasingly concerned as he began suffering from repeated episodes of fever and vomiting — clear signs that the condition was affecting his health. Further imaging showed severe hydronephrosis with a very thin renal cortex, indicating that the kidney had already sustained significant damage.

Due to the severity of the condition, the family was advised elsewhere that kidney removal might be the only option. Seeking another opinion and hoping for an alternative, the parents travelled from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan and consulted the Urology team at Shalamar Hospital.

After careful evaluation, Dr. Muhammad Fayyaz recommended a MAG-3 scan, a specialized nuclear imaging test used to assess kidney function. The scan showed that although the kidney was severely affected, it was still functioning at 12%.

Rather than removing the kidney, the decision was made to preserve it.

The child underwent Pyeloplasty, a reconstructive procedure designed to remove the blockage and restore normal urine flow from the kidney. The surgery was successfully performed at Shalamar Hospital and took approximately one to one and a half hours.

The outcome was highly encouraging.

Six months after surgery, a follow-up MAG-3 scan showed that kidney function had improved from 12% to 22%. More importantly, the hydronephrosis had resolved, and the kidney was no longer swollen.

Today, at one year and two months of age, the child is healthy, active, and thriving. The fever and vomiting that once troubled him have completely disappeared.

This case reflects an important lesson in modern medicine: with expert evaluation and timely intervention, even a severely compromised organ can sometimes be saved.

At Shalamar Hospital, such outcomes demonstrate a continued commitment to patient-centered care, advanced diagnostics, and surgical excellence — helping children and families move toward healthier futures every day