Renal Artery Stenosis

Among the indications for renal artery revascularization, either surgical or endovascular, in patients with renal artery stenosis are poorly controlled hypertension, ischemic nephropathy (preservation of renal function), or recurrent episodes of "flash" pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure. Pharmacologic treatment is the first-line therapy to control blood pressure. If the disease is unilateral, the blood pressure regimen should include an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Guidelines published in the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of high blood pressure should be followed. Revascularization is recommended if patients have at least 75% stenosis of one or both renal arteries, combined with resistant or poorly controlled hypertension; recurrent flash pulmonary edema; dialysis-dependent renal failure resulting from renal artery stenosis; chronic renal insufficiency and bilateral renal artery stenosis; or renal artery stenosis to a solitary functioning kidney. To treat fibromuscular disease of the renal arteries, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is the revascularization procedure of choice. Ex vivo surgical repair of the renal artery may be required if there is significant branch renal artery stenosis. To treat atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis, the revascularization procedure of choice is percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent implantation, especially if there is concomitant ostial or proximal renal artery disease. Surgical revascularization is performed if concomitant aortic surgery is required, such as for abdominal aortic aneurysm.