The role of denervation in renal transplantation on renal function in the dog.

The role of denervation in renal transplantation on renal function in the dog was assessed in a controlled study. There was no significant difference between innervated and denervated kidney with regard to effective renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate, and urinary potassium excretion. However, urinary sodium excretion was elevated, and a significant increase in urinary bicarbonate excretion was observed in the in situ denervated or autotransplanted kidney compared with the innervated control kidney. Denervation rather than either tubular damage from the transplantation procedure or a decreased glomerular filtration rate probably is responsible in part for the observed posttransplant urinary sodium and bicarbonate loss and its associated metabolic problems.