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Cysts - kidneys; Kidney - polycystic; Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; ADPKD
The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and prevent complications. High blood pressure may be difficult to control, but control of it is the most important aspect of treatment.
Treatment may include:
Any urinary tract infection should be treated promptly with appropriate antibiotics.
Cysts that are painful, infected, bleeding, or causing an obstruction may need to be drained. (There are usually too many cysts to make removal a feasible alternative.)
Surgical removal of one or both kidneys may be required. Treatment of end-stage kidney disease may include kidney dialysis or kidney transplantation.
The stress of an illness can often be helped by joining a support group where members share common experiences and problems.
The disease gets worse slowly, eventually resulting in end-stage kidney failure. It is also associated with liver disease, including infection of liver cysts.
Medical treatment may provide relief of symptoms for many years.
The absence of systemic disease or autoimmune disease makes people with polycystic kidney disease good candidates for kidney transplantation.
Call your health care provider if symptoms indicate polycystic kidney disease may be present.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if there is a family history of polycystic kidney disease or associated disorders and children are planned. Genetic counseling may be offered.
In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 128.
In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 521.
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