Separate Functional Examination of Kidneys in Clinical Practice

SUMMARY Separate examination of water and sodium excretion has been carried out in ten persons with normal urological findings and twenty‐three persons with various urological or internal symptoms. The excretion of water and sodium was expressed in percentage of the filtered quantity, so that it was not necessary to measure the diuresis of each kidney precisely. Urological examinations together with the catheterisation of the ureters is often connected with changes in the excretion of water and sodium. Cases have been observed in which significant osmotic diuresis occurred in the course of the examination. In evaluating abnormal findings it is always necessary to determine whether the increased excretion of water and sodium is merely caused by a functional change (connected with urological investigation) or whether the kidney has been really affected organically. It follows from the analysis of cases with chronic renal ailments that a systematic study of sodium concentration in urine helps in evaluating abnormal findings. Our experience proves that separate examination of water and sodium excretion is a valuable method in routine urological examinations combined with catheterisation of the ureters.