Klimberg I W, Locke D R, Hawkins I F, Drylie D M
Department of Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.
Urology. 1989 Feb;33(2):153-8. doi: 10.1016/0090-4295(89)90018-6.
Six patients (11 renal units) underwent ethanol renal angioinfarction for medically uncontrollable hypertension. The mean preablation blood pressure was 175/112 mm Hg despite antihypertensive medications. Five of the patients demonstrated elevated renal vein renin levels prior to angioinfarction. Hypertension was improved in all 6 patients, during a mean follow-up period of fifty-one months. Systemic hypertension was completely eliminated in 4 patients. Two patients continue to require antihypertensive medication to control their hypertension. There were no major complications directly related to intra-arterial injection of ethanol. Transcatheter renal ablation employing intra-arterial injection of absolute ethanol for control of severe hypertension appears to be a safe and efficacious procedure. It should be considered an alternative to nephrectomy in selected high-risk patients.
