Compensatory renal hypertrophy. I. Following unilateral nephrectomy. An experimental study in dogs.

The compensatory renal hypertrophy and hyperfunction following unilateral nephrectomy have been studied in dogs over a two-year period. It was found that a sharp increase in function and volume of kidney tissue takes place during the first two weeks. CCr and volume of kidney tissue continue to increase reaching average values after two years of 88% and 92% respectively of those for two kidneys. CPAH and TmPAH remain almost stable at 65% and 57% respectively after an initial increase during the first two weeks. All values are expressed in percent of the function of two normal kidneys before unilateral nephrectomy. The filtration seems to be increasingly efficient and the functional integrity of the nephrons is preserved, although a glomerular predominance is encountered two years following unilateral nephrectomy.