Idiopathic Fibrous and Fibromuscular Stenoses of the Renal Artery

Abstract

The association of stenotic lesions of the renal arteries and hypertension is well established. Revascularization of the kidney which has been made "ischemic" by renal artery stenosis may result in amelioration or even permanent relief of hypertension and, perhaps even more importantly, may serve to preserve renal function. The surgeon can now more frequently experience such a gratifying accomplishment. Atheromatous stenosis of the renal artery adjacent to the aorta or of the proximal third of the renal artery seldom presents difficult problems in surgical repair. However, the type of disorder of the renal artery referred to as idiopathic fibrous and fibromuscular stenosis often poses a major obstacle to the attainment of renal revascularization. This variety of renal artery stenosis had not attracted a great deal of attention in the surgical literature until recent years, but the disorder may well be an entity cited many years ago as a cause of