Impact on renal function of percutaneous thermal ablation of renal masses in patients with preexisting chronic kidney disease.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of percutaneous thermal ablation of renal masses on renal function among patients with baseline chronic kidney disease (CKD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with baseline CKD (initial glomerular filtration rate [GFR] < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) who underwent percutaneous cryoablation or radiofrequency (RF) ablation of renal masses were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients with a GRF of 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) or lower were treated with renal cryoablation or RF ablation and had follow-up GFR measurement 1 month afterward. Mean patient age was 73 years (range, 47-89 y). Cryoablation was performed in 22 patients and RF ablation was performed in 26. Mean tumor diameter was 3.4 cm (range, 0.9-10.2 cm). Mean overall GFRs were 39.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at baseline and 39.7 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at 1 month after ablation (P = .85). A total of 38 patients had 1-year follow-up GFR measurement (cryoablation, n = 18; RF ablation, n = 20), and their mean GFR was 40.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2) ± 11.4 (SD), compared with a preablation GFR of 41.2 mL/min/1.73 m(2)(P = .79). In the cryoablation group, mean GFRs at 1 month and 1 year were 41.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and 44.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2), compared with respective baseline GFRs of 41.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and 42.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P = .75 and P = .19, respectively). In the RF ablation group, mean GFRs at 1 month and 1 year were 38.2 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and 37.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2), compared with respective baseline GFRs of 38.7 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and 40.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P = .58 and P = .09, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Independent of ablation modality, percutaneous renal mass ablation does not appear to affect renal function among patients with CKD.