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Polycystic kidneys

Dr Vijay Kher
Chairman,
Department of Nephrology and Kidney transplant Medicine,
Fortis Kidney and Urology Institute,
Fortis Escorts Hospital, New Delhi

Q: My mother has bilateral polycystic kidney. Kindly tell me whether there is any cure for the disease. This is a hereditary problem in my family.

A:Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)is a (hereditary)genetic disorder which is transmitted down the progeny and occurs in 50% of children. There is no cure for this. The disease manifests usually around 30-40 years of age and is characterized by multiple cysts in the kidney and can cause kidney failure. An ultrasound examination of abdomen will reveal the cysts and if there are no cysts in kidney by age of 40 years then it is unlikely that the person has ADPKD.