The Production by a New Method of Renal Insufficiency and Hypertension in the Rabbit

A simple method is described for the production of renal insufficiency in rabbits by limiting the blood flow through one kidney and later removing the other. Renal insufficiency of any desired degree of severity can be obtained. The limitation of blood flow should be produced by allowing the artery to grow up to the size of a loop of thread laid around it when the rabbit is small. Attempts to reduce the blood flow by constricting the renal artery in the adult rabbit usually result in necrosis of the kidney. The induction of renal insufficiency is usually followed by loss of weight and disturbance of the equilibrium apparatus. Hemorrhages into the intestinal wall and into the lumen of the intestine are frequent. A moderate degree of anemia, as judged from hematocrit readings, comes on very rapidly after reduction in total kidney mass. The total red blood cell volume seems to assume a new and lower level which is maintained for a long time. Hypertension is present before the right kidney ablation and becomes more severe after this operation. A certain degree of hypertension can be produced in adult rabbits by moderate restriction of renal blood flow of one kidney. The severity of this is increased by removal of the other kidney.