Renal Failure Limiting Antihypertensive Therapy as an Indication for Renal Revascularization: A Case Report

Although surgical repair of renal artery stenosis occasionally improves renal function, it is not yet known when revascularization is indicated for that reason. We report the results observed in a patient with renovascular hypertension and additional stenosis in the contralateral kidney whose renal function deteriorated on repeated occasions during antihypertensive therapy. Renal hemodynamic studies during sodium nitroprusside infusion showed severely impaired autoregulation of blood flow, and glomerular filtration rate was corrected after revascularization of the contralateral kidney alone. After surgery, normal BPs were tolerated without loss of function. These findings demonstrate a specific clinical indication for renal revascularization to preserve kidney function. (Arch Intern Med 1983;143:2208-2211).