Therapeutic percutaneous renal artery occlusion with a detachable balloon

Bilateral nephrectomy is sometimes required for the control of severe hypertension or nephrotic syndrome. Surgical intervention in a patient with uncontrollable hypertension or the malnutrition and anasarca of nephrotic syndrome is associated with increased risk for the development of operative complications. We report 2 hemodialysis patients, 1 with uncontrollable hypertension and 1 with nephrotic syndrome, who were successfully treated with percutaneous renal infarction. Inflatable and detachable balloons were placed in each renal artery by percutaneous arterial catheterization. Neither patient experienced any significant complication from the procedure.