Clinical aspects of polycystic disease of the kidneys

Abstract

Seventy-eight patients were treated for polycystic disease of the kidneys. An analysis of the interval between the onset of symptoms and end-stage renal failure made it possible to give an accurate prognosis in individual cases. Pregnancy and urinary infection did not appear to accelerate deterioration of renal function, but Rovsing's operation precipitated renal failure in some cases. Forty-two patients needed replacement treatment for end-stage renal failure, and 24 patients received 29 renal allografts. Transplant function at all times was better than a matched group of 70 patients with chronic renal failure from other causes. The only indications for removal of polycystic kidneys in graft recipients were persistent or recurrent infection, erythraemia that failed to respond to conservative treatment, and to make room for the transplant. © 1977, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.