Elective transcatheter renal artery occlusion prior to nephrectomy.

An hour before nephrectomy 10 patients with hypernephroma and 2 with pyonephrosis underwent occlusion of the renal arteries with gelfoam via selective catheterization, using the Seldinger percutaneous technique. This technique facilitated the operation by collapsing the renal and perirenal veins, decreased blood loss and prevented the dissemination of tumor cells or septic emboli from organ manipulation.