About Us

Extending kidney life is our one and only aim.

Life with a solitary functioning kidney (SFK) has been considered by most physicians to be similar to living with two kidneys , a perception generally based on the excellent prognosis of kidney donors. Any SFK must perform the renal work normally undertaken by two kidneys. This compensatory adaptation is based on hyperfiltration of the nephrons, the functioning units of the kidney, which is present but considered to be a harmless response in a SFK to the reduction in functional nephron number. The last decade, our research group has performed the KIMONO study (KIdney of MONofunctional Origin) with the aim to study the development of renal injury in children with different origins of SFK. With this study we have demonstrated that a congenital SFK may lead to renal injury with hypertension and albuminuria, as well as to renal functional decline that may end in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) . The aim of this review is to discuss various issues that may be encountered in the life of an individual born with one kidney. As the prognosis of kidney donors was considered to be very good, having a SFK has been considered to be a benign condition...Read More