TRANSIENT RENAL-ARTERY STENOSIS IN INFANTS - MYTH OR REALITY

We describe two infants with bilateral renal artery stenoses and sever e hypertension. Adequate control of blood pressure was achieved by med ical management. Endoluminal balloon dilatation of the renal arteries had been deferred because of their small size. On follow-up it was not iced that blood pressure had become progressively easier to control, w ith lesser amounts of antihypertensive medication. In fact, medication could be completely discontinued and blood pressure remained normal. On repeat arteriogram, bilateral renal artery stenoses had almost reso lved in both patients. The etiology of the stenoses was not establishe d in these patients. However, regardless of etiology, the transient na ture of hypertension and renal artery stenoses in these two cases demo nstrates that patient medical management of hypertension in infants ca n be a valid therapeutic option and occasionally obviate the need for unnecessary risky procedures.