Renal function during and after a temporary complete unilateral ureter obstruction in rats.

We studied changes in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and in the distribution of the renal blood flow over the left and right kidney during and after unilateral ureteral obstruction in rats. The fraction of the total renal blood flow to the obstructed kidney slowly decreased with the duration of obstruction. The fraction of the total GFR decreased at a much faster rate. After the removal of an obstruction of 7, 14, or 21 days, the kidney resumed glomerular filtration with or without an intact contralateral kidney. The degree of recovery diminished with the duration of the obstruction. We conclude that recovery of the GFR, in the case of a complete unilateral ureteral obstruction, depends upon the duration of the obstruction and not on the presence of the intact contralateral kidney.