Progression of medial fibroplasia of the renal artery and the development of renovascular hypertension.

A 33-year-old normotensive white women was rejected as a kidney donor because arteriography disclosed medial fibroplasia of the right renal artery. 44 months later she became hypertensive and arteriography revealed progression of the lesion. When renal venous renin assay demonstrated lateralization, a saphenous vein aortico-distal right renal arterial bypass graft was done; her blood pressure has been normal for more than 2 years since. Such patients should not donate kidneys because the course of renal arterial dysplastic lesions cannot be predicted.