For the past 5 years 41 patients of solitary kidney were operated upon in our clinic on the remaining urinary system or other organs. These patients were observed with reference to pre-and postoperative alterations of renal function and serum electrolytes, postoperative complications and prognosis. They were divided into two groups: 9 cases without urinary tract obstruction as group A and 32 cases who had operative treatment to the obstruction of the tract as group B.
The observation performed in these two groups are summerized as follows:
1) Renal Function
In many cases impaired renal function was revealed in the preoperative period. The impairment aggravated further 3-7 days after the operation and lasted 2-3 weeks. In group B renal function improved markedly at the time of discharge, although it still remained below the normal range. No postoperative imporvement was seen in group A.
2) Alterations of Serum Electrolytes
In many cases of group A high serum potassium level was noted in the postoperative period. In a few cases hyperchloremia was seen in both pre- and postoperative periods. In group B serum potassium level varied markedly in the postoperative period. Hyperchloremia was seen in more cases than in group A.
3) Postoperative Complications
Four cases died of acute renal failure or serum hepatitis during admission. The common complications other than the above-mentioned are pyelonephritis with high fever and cystolithiasis. High in cindece of complications was revealed either in the patients with highly impaired renal function or in cases who had the operation utilizing the intestines.
4) Postoperative Follow-up
Thirty-six cases were communicated with except for 4 cases died during admission and 1 case who did not answer. The result is as follows: 24 cases in good health, 7 cases preseumably healthy, 3 cases. prone to lie down and 2 cases dead.
