Renal artery stenosis?

Question

Had abnormal utra sound of kidney. Doctor sending me to nephrologist, may be renal artery stenosis, does anyone have information about this or has anyone been diagnosed with this?

Answer 1

This topic will help you out as having no symptoms carries no weight, think of future if left alone :

Alternative names Return to top
Renal artery occlusion; Stenosis - renal artery; Occlusion - renal artery; Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD)

Definition

Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing or blockage of the artery that supplies blood to the kidney. It is caused by atherosclerosis, fibromuscular dysplasia of the renal artery wall, or scar formation in the artery. (See also atheroembolic renal disease.)

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Renal artery stenosis is caused when atheroembolic renal disease results in narrowing of the renal artery. Fibromuscular disease, a condition more common in young women in which fibrous tissue grows in the wall of the renal artery and narrows it, is a second cause. It may also be caused when scar tissue forms in the renal artery after acute arterial obstruction or traumatic injury to the kidney.

Renal artery stenosis often causes hypertension (high blood pressure) with no other signs of its presence, and it is usually discovered in investigation for the cause of hypertension that is difficult to control. Renal artery stenosis is, in fact, among the most common causes of secondary (caused by another condition) hypertension. The disorder may also be discovered when a bruit (loud whooshing sound) over the kidney is noted on examination with a stethoscope (auscultation).

In the elderly, renal artery stenosis is most commonly associated with atherosclerotic disorders, including atherosclerotic heart disease. Atherosclerotic plaque deposits within the renal artery and causes it to become stenosed (narrowed).

Fibromuscular dysplasia is a congenital disorder involving thickening of the arterial wall and is a cause of renal artery stenosis in younger adults, particularly women 20 - 40 years old.

Renal artery stenosis may cause chronic renal failure if it affects both renal arteries or if the high blood pressure associated with this condition is prolonged or severe.

Symptoms

There are usually no symptoms.

Signs and tests

The blood pressure may be high, and there may be a history of high blood pressure that doesn't respond to medication or is difficult to control. A bruit may be heard on examination with a stethoscope (auscultation) over the kidney.

* A radionuclide renogram may show decreased blood flow. The value of radionuclide scanning is increased if the test is done twice: once after a dose of captopril and once without the captopril.
* An MRI, kidney CT scan, or kidney ultrasound may indicate a decreased size of the kidney, and/or a decrease in blood flow through the artery because the artery has become narrow.
* Renal arteriography shows the exact location of the stenosed (blocked) area.

This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

* Urine specific gravity
* Urine concentration test
* Renal perfusion scintiscan

Treatment

The treatment varies depending on the extent and severity of the symptoms. If the stenosis results in failure of a kidney, the second kidney may take over filtering and urine production for the body. Surgical repair of the stenosed area may be possible.

A balloon angioplasty (a radiographic procedure during which a balloon-tipped catheter is threaded through the artery) or a stent placement across the stenosis may be an alternative to surgery to open the stenosed area.

Antihypertensive medications may be needed to control high blood pressure.

Expectations (prognosis)
Renal artery stenosis may cause eventual failure of the kidney if it progressively blocks the artery. This may result in chronic renal failure if there is only one functional kidney or if both renal arteries are affected.

Renal hypertension caused by renal artery stenosis may be difficult to treat. Surgical or balloon catheter repair often successfully opens the stenosed area. However, stenosis may recur.

Complications

* Hypertension
* Malignant hypertension
* Chronic renal failure

Calling your health care provider

If your history indicates a high risk for renal artery stenosis, make an appointment to see your health care provider. However, decreased urine volume may be an emergency symptom indicating renal failure.

Prevention

Some cases of renal artery stenosis may be prevented by avoiding smoking.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Its a narrowing of the arteries that supply the kidneys with blood. It can affect you kidney function and that will have to be monitored with just bloodwork. He/she may want you to have a arteriogram which will show exactly how bad the stenosis is. Also you may have to have either a cat scan or an MRI which will also show if you have stenosis. If you need an arteriogram and the stenosis is bad, it can be fixed with stents placed during the arteriogram. But I've seen where people have come in with tests stating that they have stenosis and then have an arteriogram and the arteriogram shows that there is no stenosis. Ultrasound and MRI are not as definitive in diagnosis as an arteriogram.They can show things that are not even there because these machines are not as precise. I wish you the best and hope that its really nothing.

Answer 4

Renal artery stenosis, is a blockage or narrowing of the renal artery. It can cause high blood pressure , heart failure, as well as kidney failure, due to the kidneys not recieving enough blood. If it is caused just from narrowing of the renal artery, you may just have to have a stent placed in the artery at the point of the narrowing. You can google it or go check out webmd.com to get more info. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Even if you have renal artery stenosis, it may not have to be treated. In other words, just because there's a narrowing doesn't mean that it's causing a problem.

Specialized ultrasounds can give results called resistive indices. These #s help doctors decide if the narrowings are significant.

Best of luck.

Answer 6

There are no symptoms other than high bp in RAS. However, if left untreated, high bp can lead to other problems. The way I explain it to people is to imagine a water hose that's kinked, the water pressure behind it increases. Similarly, when there's a narrowing in the renal artery, all the pressure backs up in the other vessels = high bp. Sometimes, they put stents to keep the artery open..good luck

Answer 7

Well
It's sad to say that Kidney Disease is the new American epidemic that attacks over 40 million people ever year and over 200 million worldwide. 10 months ago my Doctor told Me these depressing words "Your Kidneys Are FAILING!". I didn't know what to do to heal my kidneys I was terribly worried about being chained to a dialysis machine for the rest of my life. Luckily I was able to almost completely reverse my problems thanks to some great doctors here in Chicago.

I also found many interesting and eyeopening info about my condition on this site http://kidneydisease.toptips.org. Check it out!
Regards

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Go to webmd.com They have very good info