Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of stenosis of the renal artery in solitary functioning kidney

: The authors report 2 cases of patients with single functioning kidney and severe hypertension caused by renal artery stenosis who were treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). In one case an early and persistent improvement of renal function and a reduction of pressure values were observed. In the other patient, with preexistent severe functional damage, a progressive impairment of renal function required haemodialysis. On the basis of these results and of other reports in the literature, PTA is proposed as elective treatment of renal artery stenosis in patients with single functioning kidney.