The impact of nephrectomy on liver and contralateral kidney volume in patients with ADPKD; a case series

Plain language

Some people with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) have one kidney surgically removed (nephrectomy), and researchers have wondered whether lower pressure inside the abdomen afterwards could make the liver or the other kidney grow faster. This small retrospective study compared 12 patients who had a nephrectomy around the start of dialysis or transplant with 10 patients on kidney replacement therapy who did not have a nephrectomy, plus 4 patients who had a nephrectomy without immediately needing kidney replacement therapy. After starting kidney replacement therapy, kidney volume shrank in both groups, and liver volume changes were not statistically different between groups. In the few patients evaluated before kidney replacement therapy, removing one kidney did not appear to speed up the decline in function of the remaining kidney. Because the study is a small retrospective case series, the authors note that larger prospective studies are needed.