Former athlete who could 'barely walk' gets 'lifeline' treatment to save kidneys

renal angioplasty treatment

Zuhair Alattari, a 57-year-old Palestinian living in the UAE, had been struggling with severe back and leg pain for nearly seven years, which severely affected his mobility. Despite numerous hospital visits, his condition remained undiagnosed until he sought help at Thumbay University Hospital in Ajman. There, he discovered that he had an advancing kidney disease, including a shrunken right kidney and bilateral renal artery stenosis, a narrowing of the blood vessels supplying his kidneys.

This condition had led to persistent high blood pressure and debilitating pain, making daily activities almost impossible for Zuhair, a former athlete and silver medalist in the UAE running championship. His quality of life deteriorated significantly, affecting both his work and personal life.

Renal angioplasty, a procedure usually associated with treating heart disease, became a lifeline for Zuhair. This less-known procedure involves widening the narrowed arteries to restore proper blood flow to the kidneys. Dr. Rajaram Jagdale, a consultant nephrologist at Thumbay University Hospital, explained that this procedure was crucial to prevent further deterioration of Zuhair’s kidney function. 

“Initially, we diagnosed him with a shrunken right kidney,” Dr. Jagdale said. “Further investigation revealed bilateral renal artery narrowing. Despite normal kidney size just three years ago, both his kidneys were now critically affected. Treatment via renal angioplasty for the left kidney became imperative to restore blood flow and mitigate further kidney function loss.”

During the angioplasty, a catheter with a deflated balloon was inserted into the narrowed artery. The balloon was then inflated to widen the artery, restoring blood flow. In some cases, a stent is placed to keep the artery open. This procedure saved Zuhair’s remaining functional kidney, preventing the need for dialysis.

The impact of the procedure was immediate and profound. Within 24 hours, Zuhair's blood pressure normalized, reducing his hypertension medications from five to just one. His creatinine levels, a marker of kidney function, also improved significantly from 2 milligrams to 1.6 milligrams, with potential for further improvement.

Zuhair expressed immense gratitude for the care he received. “Now, I can finally eat my favorite meals, such as those high in salt that I had to avoid before,” he said. Post-surgery, Zuhair no longer needs to carry his medications around, as his blood pressure is under control, marking a significant improvement in his quality of life.

This case highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis and the potential of renal angioplasty to provide a lifeline for patients with kidney artery stenosis, significantly improving their health and well-being.