[Renal transection conservatively treated three times by selectively transarterial embolization (TAE): a case report]

A 12-year-old-man presented with left flank pain after a traffic accident on October 14, 2006. Computed tomography (CT) revealed major left renal hematoma and transection (IIIb). Selectively transarterial embolization (TAE) was performed to control upper transected renal bleeding on the same day, and again to do rebleeding two days later. Because CT revealed left perirenal urinoma caused by upper transected kidney on October 18, TAE was performed for the upper transected kidney not to function. Five months after left renal injury, CT demonstrated the left kidney successfully preserved without hydronephrosis, urinoma and hematoma. The patient was well and could be conservatively treated without hypertension and other complications. In previous reports, only a part of renal injury (III) cases with conservative treatment converted to nephrectomy, whereas approximately half of them with surgical treatment resulted in nephrectomy. Therefore, it is important to treat them as conservatively as possible and to preserve renal function, even in cases of major renal blunt injury.