A case of renal transcatheter arterial embolization with ethanol in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease for volume reduction

We report herein the case of a 76-year-old woman with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and chronic renal failure resulting in intractable abdominal distension and anorexia. Computed tomography (CT) showed enlarged and cystic kidneys. We performed transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for renal arteries with ethanol. Absolute ethanol with iodinated contrast medium or Lipiodol was delivered into both renal arteries. The patient's low-grade fever subsided in 5 days, and no other complication occurred. The sensation of abdominal distension diminished approximately 1 month after embolization. A progressive decrease in kidney size was observed soon after embolization. The percentage of the decrement of kidney size was approximately 50% after 17 months. These results indicate that renal TAE with ethanol is a safe, cost-effective, and minimally invasive technique to reduce kidney size in symptomatic ADPKD patients.