Compensatory renal hypertrophy after treatment for Wilms' tumor.

In children who undergo nephrectomy for Wilms' tumor, compensatory renal hypertrophy occurs rapidly despite concomitant irradiation and chemotherapy. Review of preoperative and postoperative intravenous pyelograms of 21 children showed all to have significant enlargement of the remaining kidney. Sixty-five per cent renal hypertrophy occurred during the first 2 months after nephrectomy; by 11 months, renal hypertrophy is complete and renal growth is no longer accelerated.