Renal Angiography Treatment

Renal angiography is a diagnosis procedure designed to study vascular structures. The procedure is also called renal arteriography. In this procedure, doctors use X-rays and a contrast dye to visualize the blood vessels in and around the kidneys of a person. By injecting contrast material directly into the renal arteries doctors can assess blood flow, identify abnormalities, and plan interventions. The technique helps to diagnose kidney disorders and provide treatments. The procedure involves using a slender, flexible tube called a catheter. The catheter is inserted into the blood vessels through a small incision, and the entire process is carried out by an interventional radiologist.

Why Renal Angiography is Performed 

Doctors often suggest diagnostic tests to patients to detect kidney related issues including vascular issues. Here mentioned some indications for renal angiography which include: 

• Diagnosing renal artery stenosis: When a person’s body experiences narrowing of the renal arteries caused by atherosclerosis or fibromuscular dysplasia which lead to high blood pressure is a big indication that the person needs to undergo renal angiography. 
• Evaluating Tumor or Masses: The angiography is done to know the difference between benign and malignant development based on their blood flow patterns. 
• Investigating Unexplained Hypertension: Especially in younger patients, where secondary causes like renal vascular abnormalities are suspected. 
• Detecting Aneurysms or Vascular Malformation: To study balloon-like bulges or abnormal connections in the blood vessels. 
• Pre-surgical Planning: To assess the vascular anatomy before procedures like kidney transplant or tumor resection. 

Renal Angiography Risks 

Following are risks of this diagnostic process:

• Bruises around the insertion site 
• Artery damage 
• Infection
• Allergic Reactions 
• Kidney malfunction 

Before Procedure 

Before the procedure a patient needs to follow some instructions and tell the doctors about your condition. These instructions are: 

• Do not eat or drink before a few hours of the procedure:
• Inform your doctor about your allergic conditions. 
• If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding inform about this as well
• Pre-exist diseases.
• Having any medications  
• Tell the doctor about vitamins and supplements. 

During the Procedure

• First of all a patient need to wear a hospital gown then need to lie on hospital table proceeding the procedure. Once the patient is comfortable lie upon the table the nurses will give him/her certain medications and fluids through IV arms or hands veins. 
• After that certain gel will be applied on the skin site where a doctor needs to make incisions to numb the site. Then the operating surgeon starts making incisions and puts a catheter with the help of a few medical equipment. 
• Once all is set the X-dye is injected into the body and then inside the blood vessels of the kidney. The radiologist will use X-rays images as a guide throughout the procedure. Then they move the catheter through blood vessels to the kidneys. 
• A can’t move while the doctors are taking X-ray images. For not moving a patient can take the assistance of pillow and foam pads this may help the patient to keep in a certain movement. During this session a doctor may ask the patient to hold the breath for 10 to 25 seconds. 
• Once the procedure is done the catheter is removed from the body and incisions are closed. 

After Procedure

• The patient need to lie flat and keep the leg with the insertion site straight for at least 6 hours to stop bleeding and risk of infection. 
• A patient needs to stay at the hospital overnight to recover or heal sooner. 
• Nurses will tell the patient to drink an adequate amount of water. So the body could be easily  flush out the X-rays dye. 
• After getting discharge from hospital carefully take care of incisions at home and follow certain guidelines that are given by the healthcare provider.