[Usefulness of Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis in hypertensive children. Two case reports and review of the literature].

Renal artery stenosis, mainly due to fibromuscular dysplasia, is the second more common cause of arterial hypertension in children, after aortic coarctation. Two children sent to our Center of Pediatric Cardiology, one for arterial hypertension and the other for renal failure (associated with severe hypertension not previously recognized) are reported. In both of them the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis was established at Doppler ultrasonography, performed at the time of Doppler echocardiography. Both children were submitted to successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty; short- and medium-term results are evaluated by Doppler ultrasonography. Renovascular disease is a potentially curable cause of renal artery stenosis in children. Renal artery evaluation by Doppler ultrasound is recommended in all hypertensive children who undergo Doppler echocardiography.