Bilateral Renal Cell Carcinomas

The case: a 50-ish yo woman, normal baseline renal function, and a history of nephrolithiasis x 2 episodes presented with gross, painless hematuria. She was initially thought to have another stone event, but she had no significant flank…

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Hemolysis-with-Dialysis

Hey, it rhymes! One of the rare but potentially severe complications seen with hemodialysis is intravascular hemolysis. There is an interesting differential diagnosis of what might cause dialysis-associated hemolysis, many of which have to do with contamination of…

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Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

I saw my 2nd case this year of renal effects of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). OHSS is a complication of in vitro fertilization therapy, in which pharmacologic doses of gonadotropin therapy can lead to enlarged ovaries filled with…

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Side-Effects of Cytoxan

Welcome to Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), one of the most versatile (albeit toxic) medications in the nephrology world. Its mechanism of action is as an alkylating agent; it induced alkylation of DNA in actively proliferating cells, which explains its use…

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Acquired GBM Disease

An interesting scenario of “acquired” anti-GBM disease can occur when a patient with Alport’s Syndrome gets a renal transplant. Patients with Alport’s Syndrome–a cause of hematuria with progressive renal failure and hearing loss–have mutations in genes encoding certain…

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Troubleshooting CVVH

Even though most studies have not shown any mortality benefit to CVVH when compared to intermittent hemodialysis, that doesn’t mean that we don’t use CVVH all the time. At our centers (Mass General Hospital and Brigham & Women’s…

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Physical Exam for AV Fistulas & Grafts

We all realize that maintaining vascular access is a dialysis patient’s life-line. Many patients must undergo multiple interventional radiology or surgical procedures in order to sustain fistula or graft patency over a prolonged period of time. The physical…

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What is the Resistive Index?

Often on the official radiology report for a renal ultrasound with Doppler flows, a number called the “resistive index” is listed. What does this number mean and how is it derived? The resistive index (RI) measures the resistance…

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