Renovascular hypertension secondary to Takayasu's arteritis in a child: Case report

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic inflammatory arteriopathy of unknown etiology that affects the aorta and its branches. Inflammation leads to arterial stenosis, thrombosis, and aneurysm formation. Management strategies for TA include medical therapy and revascularization procedures after inflammation is controlled.

We report the case of a 12-year-old female patient, who presented with dyspnea and growth retardation. Initial clinical and radiological evaluations revealed hypertension and congestive heart failure. After controlling the inflammatory phase of the disease and blood pressure partially (with three antihypertensive agents), the patient underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty of both renal arteries, with angiographic and clinical success. At the 2-year follow-up, she presented with re-stenosis of the right renal artery and progression of the supra-renal aortic stenosis. She was subjected to a second balloon angioplasty of the right renal artery and aortic balloon angioplasty.

After controlling the inflammatory phase of the disease, stenotic and/or aneurysmal lesions can be addressed. Percutaneous revascularization of renal arteries is reasonable for patients with hemodynamically significant renal artery stenosis.

TA with renal involvement must be considered as an etiologic factor for secondary hypertension in young patients, even if there is no blood pressure difference between the upper extremities. In this case, renal and aortic stenosis were performed with low perioperative morbidity.