Angiographic Embolization for blunt Renal Trauma: single centre results.

IntroductionOver the last decades the management of high grade, blunt renal injury has shifted from a primarily operative approach to a more conservative treatment protocol. Here angiographic embolization has gained an important role. We performed a retrospective study reviewing patients with blunt renal injury who underwent angiographic embolization.

Materials and methodsA retrospective study was performed at the University Hospitals Leuven to determine the outcome of patients who underwent angiographic embolization for the management of blunt renal trauma. Clinical success was defined as the stabilization of vital signs and the absence for further surgical or radiological intervention.

ResultsBetween January 2003 and October 2010, 10 hemodynamic unstable patients with blunt renal injury were treated with angiographic embolization. The median age of this patient population was 36 years. The median follow up was 2 years. Clinical success was achieved in all patients. One patient died during the months of hospitalization due to severe brain damage. None of the remaining 9 patients developed a new onset of arterial hypertension or procedure-related impairment of renal function. There were no other complications regarding angiographic embolization or abdominal trauma.

DiscussionAngiographic embolization in blunt renal injury is a safe and effective procedure. Early identification of patients who would benefit from this procedure is of primordial importance.

Willem-Jan Metsemakers, Sam Heye, Stefaan Nijs, Geert Maleux.

Department of Trauma Surgery and Interventional Radiology.University Hospitals Leuven.