Uncorrected Proof
Nephro-Urol Mon. 2023 November; 15(4):e139952.
Published online 2023 November 8.
https://doi.org/10.5812/numonthly-139952.
Case Report
Successful Application of PTRA in a Patient with AKI Due to Severe
Unilateral Renal Artery Stenosis: A Case Report with 4-Year Follow-up
and Review of Literature
Hossein Saghafi
1, *
, Mohammad Reza Ahmadi
2
, Mohammad Sina Mirjani
2
and Alireza Saghafi
3
1
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
2
Student Research Committee, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
3
School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. Email: dr.hosseinsaghafi@gmail.com
Received 2023 September 09; Revised 2023 September 20; Accepted 2023 October 25.
Abstract
Introduction: Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is defined by a decrease in the internal diameter of one or both of the renal arteries. This
can lead to renal insufficiency. RAS mostly occurs due to atherosclerosis; however, other conditions can cause this complication.
Case Presentation: We present a 66-year-old man who was initially presented with abrupt bilateral lower limbs and scrotal edema
in Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Qom. The patient had been regularly visiting the nephrology clinic for mild CKD. Due to the increased
levels of creatinine (Cr) and urea in serum, he underwent angiography with suspicion of RAS, and 99% stenosis was confirmed in the
left renal artery. Immediately after the diagnosis, we subjected the patient to angioplasty. After removing the arterial stenosis, the
patient passed 8 liters of urine during one day, and his symptoms, including generalized edema, weight gain, and dyspnea, were
improved gradually. The patient was discharged after 8 days of hospitalization with dramatically improved kidney function and
relatively good general conditions.
Conclusions: This patient had an uncommon presentation for a unilateral RAS and significant narrowing in the healthy renal
artery. Angioplasty and stenting yielded a satisfactory result as a definite and effective treatment, and the patient enjoyed a relatively
normal life with preserved kidney function during 4 years of follow-up.
Keywords: Renal Artery Stenosis, Acute Kidney Injury, Single Kidney, Angioplasty
1. Introduction
Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is the decrease in the
internal diameter of one or both renal arteries. It is the
major cause of hypertension (1). Regarding gender
prevalence, RAS due to fibromuscular dysplasia is
more common in women (2). In an autopsy study,
atherosclerotic RAS was observed in 27% of patients who
were over 50 years old. If the patient had a history of high
diastolic blood pressure, this number increased to 53% (3).
The main causes of RAS are atherosclerosis and
fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD), with a mean frequency of
75% and 20%, respectively. Other causes of RAS are vasculitis
(especially polyarthritis nodosa), neurofibromatosis type
1, thromboembolic disease, arterial dissection, and
infrarenal aortic aneurysm (1).
Here, we present a 66-year-old man who was referred
to the internal medicine department of Shahid Beheshti
Hospital, Qom City, with the chief complaint of abrupt
bilateral lower limbs and scrotal edema. After further
investigation, we found that the patient had a 99% stenosis
in his left renal artery.
2. Case Presentation
In March 2019, a 66-year-old man with a history
of mild chronic kidney disease (CKD), coronary artery
disease (CAD), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and
hypertension (HTN), was referred from the emergency
unit to the Internal Medicine Department of Shahid
Beheshti Hospital, Qom City, with the chief complaint
of abrupt bilateral lower limbs and scrotal edema. It
was a 4+ pitting edema, and the patient mentioned that
Copyright © 2023, Saghafi et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.