RENAL BLOOD FLOW AND GLOMERULAR PERFUSION DURING URETERAL OCCLUSION

Abstract

Although previous studies suggested that decreased cortical perfusion occurred in obstructive nephropathy, technical limitations had prevented the measurement of renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular perfusion during complete ureteral occlusion in the rat. Using a recent modification of the radioactive microsphere technique for the determination of RBF and Damadlan's method for the determination of glomerular counts, both of these parameters were measured after 24 hrs of bilateral ureteral occlusion and after sham operation. In sham operated control animals (n=10), RBF was 5.468±0.241 ml/min/100gmBW (Mean±SEM), and glomerular perfusion in the superficial cortex (SNGP) was 225.8±9.7 nl/min; while in the deep cortex, glomerular perfusion (DNGP) was 199.7±10.0 nl/min. After 24 hrs of ureteral occlusion (n=9), RBF had fallen 57% to 3.120±0.274 ml/min/100gmBW (P<0.001). SNGP was only 85.1±6.7 nl/min and DNGP was 112.7±8.2 nl/min, 38% and 56% of control values, respectively, (P<0.001 for both).

These data demonstrate that after 24 hrs of ureteral occlusion a) total renal blood flow is markedly reduced, b) glomerular perfusion in the superficial cortex is even more strikingly diminished, and c) the glomeruli in the deep cortex are comparatively better perfused than those in the superficial cortex. These findings would support the hypothesis that cortical ischemia and glomerular hypoperfusion contribute to the renal injury in obstructive nephropathy.

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