[Obstructive uropathy in adults]

Urinary tract obstruction is a common clinical problem. The obstruction of the urinary flow may be acute or chronic, partial or complete, unilateral or bilateral, and may occur at any site of the urinary tract. The major causes of urinary tract obstruction vary with the age of the patient. Anatomic abnormalities, e. g. ureteropelvic junction obstruction, account for the majority of cases in children. In comparison, calculi are most common in young adults, while prostatic hyperplasia or carcinoma, retroperitoneal or pelvic neoplasms, and calculi are the primary causes in older patients. Urinary tract obstruction results in different pathophysiological changes causing various symptoms. In addition to the aetiology, pathophysiology and clinical presentation of obstructive uropathy in adults, modern diagnostic and therapeutic options are presented in this review.