HYPERTENSION CAUSED BY UNILATERAL RENAL COMPRESSION

Abstract

Renal compression has not been considered a cause of hypertension until recently. Page¹reported the occurrence of hypertension in experimental animals in which a kidney had been enclosed in cellophane. The cellophane caused a tissue reaction around the kidney which resulted in a fibrous hull. This fibrous hull completely enclosed and compressed the renal parenchyma and caused hypertension in dogs, cats and rabbits. No case has been reported in the literature in which renal compression of an analogous nature has caused hypertension in man. The following case resembles Page's experimental production of hypertension in animals by renal compression. <h3>REPORT OF CASE</h3><h3>History.—</h3> D. P., a student aged 18, was examined by a school physician and found to have a blood pressure of 154 mm. of mercury systolic and 102 mm. of mercury diastolic. He had no complaints. On physical examination a large, fluctuant, nontender movable mass could be