Polycystic kidney, by far the most important developmental disturbance in the architecture of the renal parenchyma, is a pathological disease rather than a clinical, because approximately 75% of the cases is not detected or recognized clinically, and an accurate diagnosis cannot be established until postmortem examination. There has been a great deal of controversial discussion concerning the diagnosis and treatment of polycystic kidney for many years. There are many reports and clinical reviews on this item in foreign countries but rare in Korea. It may be of value to compare the clinical picture of polycystic kidney of Koreans with that of other countries. Twenty-three cases of congenital polycystic kidney observed at the Yonsei Medical Center from Jan. 1961 to Dec. 1972 were analyzed. The condition was usually bilateral and progressive in nature. The average age diagnosis was established was 49.5 years. The youngest patient was 1 year of age who was thought to be a infantile polycystic kidney, the oldest 76 and this disease was most commonly found in the 40-50 years of age. Fifteen cases were males and eight cases were females. Only two cases were unilateral and others were bilateral. The symptoms and signs of polycystic kidney were renal enlargement was found in 16 cases (69.6%), abdominal pain in 10 cases (43.5%), indigestion in 8 cases (34.8%), edema in 6 cases (26. 1%) and infection in 6 cases (26. 1%). On the laboratory findings anemia below 10 gm% of hemoglobin was found in 9 cases (39.1%), proteinuria in 20 cases (87. 0%), pyuria in 5 cases (21.7%), and microscopic hematuria in 5 cases (21.7%) also. Blood urea values above 200mg% occurred in 4 cases (17.4916). Polycystic kidney was combined with hypertension in 15 cases (65. 2%), cystic disease of the liver in 4 cases (17. 3%), renal stone in 3 cases (13. 0%), and cerebrovascular accident in 3 cases (13. 0%) etc.
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