The Unprofessional Guide to bilateral renal aplasia

Chapter 1: What Is bilateral renal aplasia, Really?

Important notice: This guide is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you read in this guide.

Let's start with the first thing you're probably thinking: what does the word "aplasia" even mean? It sounds like something that belongs in a sci-fi movie, not in your medical chart. Here's the breakdown. "A-" means "without" or "not." "-plasia" means "formation" or "growth." So aplasia means a part of the body simply didn't form, or didn't develop the way it was supposed to. It's not a disease that attacked you, and it's not something you did. It's an absence. A structural thing that just didn't happen during development.

"Renal" means "having to do with the kidneys." So bilateral renal aplasia literally means that both of your kidneys didn't form properly. The word "bilateral" just means "both sides." There's also a condition called unilateral renal aplasia, where only one kidney is missing, but that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about both kidneys. Either they're entirely absent, or they're so underdeveloped that they never really functioned as kidneys.

So what does that mean for you? Well, it depends a lot on when you got this diagnosis. This is a condition that is usually detected either before birth, at birth, or shortly after.