LONG-TERM ASSESSMENT OF RENAL-FUNCTION FOLLOWING NEPHRECTOMY FOR STAGE-I RENAL-CARCINOMA

Objective To evaluate the impact of nephrectomy on renal function in people who are potential candidates for nephron sparing surgery, i.e. partial nephrectomy. Patients and methods A retrospective analysis was carried out of 109 patients (35 women, 74 men) who had undergone a nephrectomy for stage I renal carcinoma at the University of Michigan between 1960 and 1979. All patients had a functioning contralateral kidney and had undergone at least one post-operative serum creatinine evaluation Statistical analysis was by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results One individual developed a transitional cell carcinoma in the remaining renal pelvis and was treated with nephroureterectomy. No other patient progressed to dialysis. Five patients had post-operative serum creatinine levels from 221 to 354 mu mol/l, one of whom had undergone both a nephrectomy and a partial nephrectomy for bilateral renal tumours. The remaining four had renal disease including diabetes, hypertension, pyelonephritis and renal artery stenosis. There was a strong association between pre-operative and post-operative serum creatinine values. Conclusion Patients with low stage renal tumours and a normal contralateral kidney are at low risk of progression to renal failure.