Hemodialysis and kidney transplantation for renal failure from scleroderma

✍ Scribed by Dr. James A Richardson

• Book ID: 102750890
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 694 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780160220

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A merchant mariner had scleroderma with polyarthralgias and Raynaud's phenomenon for 15 years before the onset of rapidly progressive renal failure and severe hypertension. Intimal proliferation obliterated or greatly narrowed the lumina of renal arterioles. Initially, he tolerated periodic hemodialysis and efforts to reduce hypertension poorly but did better after bilateral nephrectomy. In the 18 months since successful kidney transplantation, arthralgias and Raynaud's phenomenon have disappeared and skin has become less tightly bound to underlying structures. Blood pressure remains normal. The grafted kidney shows no evidence of disease. For patients whose primary organ involvement by scleroderma is renal and whose other lesions are relatively stable, hemodialysis and kidney transplantation may provide additional years of reasonably comfortable life.