Clinical Approach to Renal Artery Thromboembolism

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to reveal the clinical, laboratory, radiological findings of infarction in the renal artery and itsbranches due to thrombosis, its effects on renal functions and the measures to be taken.Methods: The study sample included 8 patients who were admitted to the emergency department of KutahyaUniversity of Health Sciences Evliya Celebi Training and Research Hospital between 2018-2020, and who werehospitalized with the diagnosis of acute renal infarction. Patients were retrospectively analyzed with clinicalfindings, CT angiography-abdomen, clinical observations, prognosis and complications.Results: Of the patients, 5 were male and 3 were female. The mean age was 55.13 (29-69) years. One patientpresented with bilateral renal infarction, while 7 had unilateral renal infarction. The etiology of the patients wasidiopathic in 2, atrial fibrilation (AF) in 3 patients, and atherosclerosis in 3 patient. The mean serum creatinineof 1.24 (0.7-3.2) mg/dl and the mean blood leukocyte level of 16925 (11000-26000) mcL were determined. Themean length of hospital stay was 4.6 (3-7) days. Anticoagulant therapy was initiated in all patients for risk ofrecurrent renal infarction and thromboembolism.Conclusion: We revealed that renal infarction, rarely seen in urology practice, has nonspecific clinical findings;therefore, it should be kept in mind in differential diagnosis for patients presenting with sudden-onset oblique orabdominal pain, and that diagnosis can be made using contrast-enhanced CT. We determined that AF andvalvular heart diseases which cause atherosclerosis and cardiac thrombosis play an important role in theetiology.