Renal contraction therapy for enlarged polycystic kidneys by transcatheter arterial embolization in hemodialysis patients.

Kidneys of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) usually continue to increase in size, even after patients begin dialysis therapy, and the mass effects may lead to severe complications. Such external conventional therapies as surgical and laparoscopic procedures have not yielded satisfactory results. Because kidneys in patients with ADPKD usually are supplied by well-developed arteries, we attempted renal contraction therapy in patients with ADPKD by renal transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) using intravascular coils. After obtaining informed consent, we selected anuric patients on dialysis therapy with markedly distended abdomens or macroscopic hematuria. Between October 1996 and December 2000, a total of 64 patients were treated. Renal size, abdominal circumference, dry weight, hematocrit, and insulin-like growth factor-I were measured before TAE and 3, 6, and 12 months after TAE. Renal sizes decreased to 73.8% +/- 12.0%, 61.7% +/- 14.7%, and 53.4% +/- 11.6% of preinterventional values at 3, 6, and 12 months after therapy, respectively (P < 0.0001). Abdominal circumference and dry weight were significantly decreased at 3, 6, and 12 months (P < 0.0001) compared with baseline values before therapy. Hematocrits increased sequentially after 3, 6, and 12 months (P < 0.0001). Levels of insulin-like growth factor-I an index of nutritional status, significantly increased at 3, 6, and 12 months compared with the baseline value (P < 0.001). This therapy was effective for all patients. Serious complications were not seen after this treatment, although such minor complications as fever and flank pain were observed within the first week after the procedure. Our internal treatment with TAE is a safe and effective procedure that has resulted in improvement in the quality of life and nutritional status of patients with ADPKD. Copyright 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.