Tear drops of kidney: a historical overview of Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Polycystic kidneydisease (PKD) is one of the most common inheritedkidneydiseases causing end stage renal disease. Although it has been in existence with humanity, it was defined in 18th century. The most detailed observations on PKD have been written after the disease of Stephen Bathory, the King of Poland. He had fatigue and chest pain accompanied by unconsciousness within a few days after a hunting trip, and died within 9 days, at the age of 53 years in 1586. Surgeon Jan Zigulitz described the cysts in his kidneys as large like those of a bull, with an uneven and bumpy surface during the mummification. Based on available information, 347 years later, a group of physicians and historians in Krakow concluded that the probable cause of Kings death was PKD and uremia. Unfortunately, PKD did not attracted the interest of physicians until the 18th century. In late 18th century, Matthew Baillie noted that these vesicular cysts in kidney were different from hydatid cysts, and described them as "false hydatids of kidney". In 1888, Flix Lejars used the term of "polycystic kidney" for the first time, and stressed that these cysts were bilateral, and causing clinically identifiable symptoms. At the end of 19th century, the basic clinical signs, and genetic basis of the disease have been better defined. However, the inheritance pattern could only be understood long years later. In this study, the history of PKD, i.e., the tear drops (cysts) of kidney will try to be explained by the light of old and current knowledge.