Chronic Renal Failure in Patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Association with Renal Cysts

A 31-year-old patient with tuberous sclerosis and severe chronic renal failure is described. At autopsy the kidneys demonstrated macroscopic cysts. Both chronic renal failure and renal cysts have been only rarely reported in association with tuberous sclerosis. This case and a review of the literature suggest that in patients with tuberous sclerosis, chronic renal failure is much more likely when renal cystic changes are present (with or without hamartomas) than when renal hamartomas are present alone.