Long-term results after partial and unilateral nephrectomy in childhood

In a clinical follow-up, 47 patients after unilateral or partial nephrectomy were examined. The average age at operation was 5.8 years (range 3 days-17.1 years), the average follow-up period after surgery was 11.9 years (range 8.2-18.3 years). Main indications for surgery were hydronephrosis (n = 27), other congenital malformations (n = 6) and neoplasia (n = 9). In one patient, we found hypertension, two patients presented with moderately diminished creatinine clearance, two further patients suffered from unilateral hydronephrosis after partial nephrectomy. We found by ultrasonography marked compensatory hypertrophy in cases of solitary kidneys (225.6 +/- 49.3%) as well as contralateral kidneys after partial nephrectomy (158.7 +/- 55.6%).