Polycystic kidney disease care at Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic's approach to care is to care for you as a whole person. You receive care that's tailored for your needs. As someone with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), if you need to see other specialists, your PKD care team can coordinate any referrals to help you get the care that you may need.

Your Mayo Clinic care team

Mayo Clinic kidney specialists (nephrologists) and other doctors experienced in diagnosing and treating polycystic kidney disease — such as hypertension specialists, geneticists, neurologists, surgeons and radiologists — work together to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs. Mayo doctors also collaborate with research scientists to find new approaches.

Polycystic kidney disease centers of excellence

The polycystic kidney disease (PKD) teams at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Florida, Arizona and Minnesota are each designated as a Center of Excellence for polycystic kidney disease by the PKD Foundation.

This means that our PKD teams offer multidisciplinary, personalized care, innovative therapies and access to clinical trials.

Advanced diagnosis and treatment

Mayo Clinic is at the forefront of research managing polycystic kidney disease. Breakthrough discoveries include total kidney volume for estimating prognosis and tolvaptan for treating autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified many of the genes that cause different forms of polycystic kidney disease. Mayo Clinic surgeons pioneered a surgical approach that removes diseased kidneys and transplants healthy kidneys during the same surgery, eliminating the need to wait several months for kidney removal surgery.

Mayo Clinic's ongoing research means that you may have access to new or emerging tests or therapies not available elsewhere.

Nationally recognized expertise

Mayo Clinic doctors are nationally recognized experts in the treatment of polycystic kidney disease. Vicente E. Torres, M.D., Ph.D., and Peter C. Harris, Ph.D., are both recipients of the Lillian Jean Kaplan International Prize, the highest honor in PKD.

Expertise and rankings

  • Experience. Mayo Clinic is a leader in the treatment of polycystic kidney disease. Each year, Mayo Clinic experts care for more than 1,200 people who have polycystic kidney disease.

    Mayo Clinic's multidisciplinary approach to care for people with polycystic kidney disease allows our experts to safely and effectively treat the complications of polycystic kidney disease, including those related to very large kidney cysts or liver cysts that cause pain. Mayo Clinic doctors are highly skilled in multiple procedures — such as cyst sclerotherapy and partial liver resection — that can help alleviate polycystic kidney disease signs and symptoms.

  • Pediatric expertise. Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, offers diagnosis, care and treatment in a child-friendly environment for children who have many types of cystic kidney disease. We were recently awarded Pediatric Clinic Center of Excellence designation by the PKD Foundation.

    In Mayo's efficient system, your child can see multiple specialists and receive testing and treatment in days, not months. The care team also includes nurse specialists, social workers, dietitians and behavioral health specialists.

  • Renowned transplant program. A number of referrals to our kidney transplant program have polycystic kidney disease. If you require a transplant, you'll receive a timely referral to transplant specialists at Mayo Clinic's kidney transplant program or liver transplant program.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's nephrology and hypertension department's expertise and rankings.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.