[Acute renal failure caused by renal artery occlusion. A surgical disease picture].

Out of 66 reconstructive operations of the renal arteries from 1980 to July 1984, 5 operations have been performed after a total occlusion of the renal artery. 3 patients were admitted with acute renal failure, all of them had a solitary kidney. The diagnosis could only be established by renographic examination, therefore a renal arteriography should be one of the first diagnostic procedures. Preexisting collateral vessels maintained a minimal blood flow of the kidney, the interval between the onset of the first symptoms and the operative revascularisation was between 24 hours and 5 days. Even if the ischemic tolerance time of the kidney exceeds 30-60 minutes, it does not necessarily lead to total organ damage because of those preexisting collateral vessels. On all 3 patients the renovasculary reconstruction was successful.