Ligation of the renal vein in the solitary kidney: effects on renal function.

Three patients with right renal tumors extending into the inferior vena cava underwent ligation of the left renal vein coincident with right nephrectomy and en bloc resection of the vena cava. Two patients exhibited no postoperative renal dysfunction while the third demonstrated renal dysfunction which cleared by 9 days postoperatively. Features of the temporary renal dysfunction included proteinuria, elevated serum creatinine levels, oliguria, hypertension, elevated peripheral venous renin level, as well as radiographic evidence of swelling the kidney. The collateral venous drainage of the left kidney makes it possible to ligate the main vein of a solitary kidney with survival of the patient. However, postoperative temporary renal dysfunction may occur and a plan to deal with this problem should be fromulated.