Percutaneous renal ablation in patients with end-stage renal disease: alternative to surgical nephrectomy.

Percutaneous transcatheter ablation was performed on 18 kidneys in ten patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), who were either on hemodialysis or had undergone renal transplantation, for the following indications: nephrotic syndrome with massive protein loss (seven patients, 13 kidneys), poorly controlled posttransplantation hypertension in the absence of transplant renal artery stenosis (two patients, three kidneys), and diabetic nephropathy with persistent urine leak from ureterocutaneous fistulas following pelvic irradiation (one patient, two kidneys). Desired clinical results were achieved in all cases. Percutaneous renal ablation is an effective alternative to surgery in patients with ESRD who require nephrectomy.