[Renal infarct in the adult: apropos of a case]

To report a case of renal infarction in a patient on anticoagulant therapy for aortic and tricuspid valvulopathy, with special reference to the diagnostic difficulty.

The most common causes of this condition, its forms of presentation, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic approaches are discussed.

Renal infarction should be suspected in the presence of abdominal pain of sudden onset that is refractory to treatment with analgesics, especially in patients with a history of embolism, recent surgery or trauma. It is frequent to find increased levels of SGOT, SGPT, LDH, alkaline phosphatase and micro or gross hematuria and proteinuria. Arteriography or isotopic renogram is utilized to confirm the diagnosis, although IVP or CT is useful if the foregoing are not available. Early treatment is important for achieving recovery of the compromised renal parenchyma. In recent years, surgery has been displaced by the good results obtained with intraarterial infusion of fibrinolytics.