Unilateral Renal Failure

[modern]

If one kidney was to suddenly fail, would there be any symptoms?  Or would the other working kidney be able to do the job of both kidneys?

What would happen to the blood that continued to flow in the failed kidney?  Would this unfiltered blood cause any problems?

Thanks.

[Stephen Liroff, MD]

What you would experience with the failure of one kidney is related to the cause of that afailure. If a blood clot blocked the artery to the kidney or a stone prevented the urine from reaching your bladder, then you would most likely have pain on that side in the back. If the kidney was slowly damaged, say by long standing obstruction or high blood pressure, then you probably would  not have any symptoms  as long as your other kidney was working well. In most situations where there is one good kidney, it can handle the extra work  without giving you any sign that it is doing so. The blood coursing through the non-functioning kidney does not cause any problems.
Of course, if both  kidneys are damaged, then you may start feeling quite ill, note a decrease in the amount of urine that you are making, but still not have any specific symptom such as pain to let you know what is happening.
S.A.Liroff, M.D.

[mollah901]

A related discussion, unilateral renal failure was started.

[modern]

Thank you for your response.

Could you please tell me if these principles also apply to the adrenal glands?

Thank you.