Absolute ethanol renal angioinfarction for control of hypertension

• Published in: Urology (Ridgewood, N.J.) Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 153 - 158
• Main Authors: Klimberg, Ira W., Locke, D.Russell, Hawkins, Irvin F., Drylie, David M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.1989; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Embolization, Therapeutic; Ethanol - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Renal - therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Nephropathies. Renovascular diseases. Renal failure; Renal Artery; Renovascular diseases; Human; Hypertension; Urinary system disease; Ethanol; Cardiovascular disease; Embolization; Kidney
• ISSN: 0090-4295; 1527-9995
• 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 1751112 mm Hg despite antihypertensive medications. Five of the patients demonstrated elevated renal veir 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.