Restoration of Failed Renal Graft Function After Successful Angioplasty of Pressure-Resistant Renal Artery Stenosis Using a Cutting Balloon: A Case Report

This study is the report of a 37-year-old male with a transplanted kidney from a 3.5-year-old donor: the graft had two arteries transplanted with an aortic patch to an external iliac artery. Four months after transplantation, the graft function deteriorated, together with the development of hypertension. Stenosis of both graft arteries was detected and the patient was referred for angioplasty. The angiographic result was suboptimal, nevertheless, the graft function improved and was more or less stable (serum creatinine, 160–200 μmol/l) for 4 years, along with persistently difficult-to-control hypertension. Five years after transplantation, the graft function deteriorated again and severe graft artery restenosis was detected. The restenosis did not respond to dilatation, graft function failed, hypertension decompensated, and left ventricular failure developed. The patient required dialysis. A cutting balloon angioplasty opened the artery, and kidney function was restored after a few days: the serum creatinine level dropped to 140–160 μmol/l, and the glomerular filtration rate (creatinine clearance) to 0.65 ml/min/1.73 m2. The graft function has now been stable for more than 2 years, however, the hypertension is still difficult to control.