Renal trauma
Updates to Article Attributes
Renal trauma can result from direct, blunt, penetrating and iatrogenic injury.
Epidemiology
Renal injuries account for ~10% of abdominal trauma, and thus the demographic of affected individuals reflects that population. The incidence of renal injuries increases in pre-existing congenital or acquired renal pathology (e.g. horseshoe kidney, renal cysts).
Clinical presentation
Patients tend to present with microscopic or macroscopic hematuria and flank and/or abdominal pain. In more severe cases, hypotension and shock may be present.
The vast majority of isolated renal trauma areis minor (95-98%), the low incidence of major renal injuries is explained by the favourable anatomic position of the kidneys, which are located in the retroperitoneum.
Imaging generally should be reserved for the haemodynamically stable-stable patient; those who are haemodynamically unstable-unstable are often taken directly to the operating theatre.
Pathology
Aetiology
Blunt trauma from motor vehicle collisions, falls, and personal collisions are the leading cause of renal injury (~85%), the mechanism is from deceleration injuries from a collision of the kidney with the vertebral column or thoracic cage.
Iatrogenic injuries can result from surgery, percutaneous renal biopsy, nephrostomy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).
Types
The vast majority (95-98%) of renal injuries are minor. The spectrum of renal injuries include:
- contusion/haematoma
- laceration
- haemorrhage
- avulsion of the renal pedicle leading to devascularisation of the kidney
- pseudoaneurysm
- AV fistula
- renal artery thrombosis, transection or dissection (see article: acute renal artery occlusion)
Associations
Serious renal injuries from blunt and penetrating trauma are associated with multi-organmultiorgan injuries in ~80% of cases 5.
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
May detect haemoperitoneum but is not as accurate inas CT at diagnosing renal parenchymal injuries 5.
CT
CT is the mainstay infor diagnosing renal injuries:
- CT multiphase protocol study for suspected renal trauma includes a non-contrast phase, an arterial phase to evaluate vascular injury, a nephrographic phase to evaluate renal parenchymal lesions and a delayed phase to evaluate bleeding and collecting system injuries
- an alternative protocol study is a portal venous phase followed by a delayed phase to assess for collecting system injury 5
See main article renal trauma grading for a detailed description of the AAST classification of renal injuries.
Angiography
CT can provide most of the information required regarding vascular injuries, but angiography can be used to further delineate the area of injury as well as offering the opportunity for treatment with angioembolisation 5.
Treatment and prognosis
Treatment depends on the specific trauma and complications present.
Complications
Complications affect ~7.5% (range 3-10%) of renal injuries 4,5:
- urinoma (most common)
- delayed bleeding (within 1-2 weeks of injury)
- urinary fistula
- perinephric abscess
- hypertension from renal artery injury
- hydronephrosis
- pyelonephritis
Differential diagnosis
Renal tumours can spontaneously haemorrhage, and cause perinephric fluid collection of blood density. These include:
- renal cell carcinoma: hypervascular renal mass ± hypervascular metastases ± renal vein / inferior vena cava invasion
- angiomyolipoma: contains fat ± strong enhancement
- vasculitis (e.g. scleroderma, PAN, SLE): wedge-shaped defect / striated nephrogram; small vessels microaneurysms; capsular retraction over parenchymal lesions in chronic disease
-<p><strong>Renal trauma</strong> can result from direct, blunt, penetrating and iatrogenic injury.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Renal injuries account for ~10% of abdominal trauma, and thus the demographic of affected individuals reflects that population. The incidence of renal injuries increases in pre-existing congenital or acquired renal pathology (e.g. <a href="/articles/horseshoe-kidney">horseshoe kidney</a>, <a href="/articles/renal-cyst-1">renal cysts</a>).</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Patients tend to present with microscopic or macroscopic hematuria and flank and/or abdominal pain. In more severe cases, hypotension and shock may be present.</p><p>The vast majority of isolated renal trauma are minor (95-98%), the low incidence of major renal injuries is explained by the favourable anatomic position of the kidneys, which are located in <a href="/articles/retroperitoneum">retroperitoneum</a>.</p><p>Imaging generally should be reserved for haemodynamically stable patient; those who are haemodynamically unstable are often taken directly to the operating theatre.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Aetiology</h5><p>Blunt trauma from motor vehicle collisions, falls, and personal collisions are the leading cause of renal injury (~85%), the mechanism is from deceleration injuries from a collision of the kidney with the vertebral column or thoracic cage.</p><p>Iatrogenic injuries can result from surgery, <a href="/articles/image-guided-percutaneous-renal-biopsy">percutaneous renal biopsy</a>, <a href="/articles/nephrosotomy">nephrostomy</a> and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).</p><h5>Types</h5><p>The vast majority (95-98%) of renal injuries are minor. The spectrum of renal injuries include:</p><ul>- +<p><strong>Renal trauma</strong> can result from direct, blunt, penetrating and iatrogenic injury.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Renal injuries account for ~10% of abdominal trauma, and thus the demographic of affected individuals reflects that population. The incidence of renal injuries increases in pre-existing congenital or acquired renal pathology (e.g. <a href="/articles/horseshoe-kidney">horseshoe kidney</a>, <a href="/articles/renal-cyst-1">renal cysts</a>).</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Patients tend to present with microscopic or macroscopic hematuria and flank and/or abdominal pain. In more severe cases, hypotension and shock may be present.</p><p>The vast majority of isolated renal trauma is minor (95-98%), the low incidence of major renal injuries is explained by the favourable anatomic position of the kidneys, which are located in the <a href="/articles/retroperitoneum">retroperitoneum</a>.</p><p>Imaging generally should be reserved for the haemodynamically-stable patient; those who are haemodynamically-unstable are often taken directly to the operating theatre.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Aetiology</h5><p>Blunt trauma from motor vehicle collisions, falls, and personal collisions are the leading cause of renal injury (~85%), the mechanism is from deceleration injuries from a collision of the kidney with the vertebral column or thoracic cage.</p><p>Iatrogenic injuries can result from surgery, <a href="/articles/image-guided-percutaneous-renal-biopsy">percutaneous renal biopsy</a>, <a href="/articles/nephrosotomy">nephrostomy</a> and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).</p><h5>Types</h5><p>The vast majority (95-98%) of renal injuries are minor. The spectrum of renal injuries include:</p><ul>
-</ul><h5>Associations</h5><p>Serious renal injuries from blunt and penetrating trauma are associated with multi-organ injuries in ~80% of cases <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>May detect <a href="/articles/haemoperitoneum">haemoperitoneum</a> but is not as accurate in CT at diagnosing renal parenchymal injuries <sup>5</sup>.</p><h5>CT</h5><p>CT is the mainstay in diagnosing renal injuries:</p><ul>- +</ul><h5>Associations</h5><p>Serious renal injuries from blunt and penetrating trauma are associated with multiorgan injuries in ~80% of cases <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>May detect <a href="/articles/haemoperitoneum">haemoperitoneum</a> but is not as accurate as CT at diagnosing renal parenchymal injuries <sup>5</sup>.</p><h5>CT</h5><p>CT is the mainstay for diagnosing renal injuries:</p><ul>
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.