There are basically three options for treatment of this condition.
The first is to keep the blood pressure down with medications. This is generally the least satisfactory, not only because it means continuing to need medications, but also because of the risk of losing a kidney.
The second option is surgery. In the past, this often meant taking out the kidney, but nowadays this is only done as a last resort, when the kidney has already ceased to function. The most common type of operation is a bypass procedure, which involves grafting an artery or vein from another part of the circulation into the renal artery beyond the blockage. Some surgeons actually cut out the plaque which is causing the blockage.
The third option is called angioplasty. This procedure is in many cases the preferred treatment. It's done at the same time as the angiogram, and is performed by passing a catheter (a thin plastic tube) with a balloon on its tip through the narrowed portion of the artery. When it's properly positioned the balloon is inflated for 30 seconds, which stretches the narrowing open. If the artery doesn't stay open after the angioplasty, another option is to put in a stent, which is a metal coil made of fine mesh, and which holds the artery open.
