MVP (Micro Vascular Plug®) embolization of severe renal hemorrhages after nephrostomic tube placement

We report our experience in managing iatrogenic renal bleedings after nephrostomic procedures by transarterial embolization using Micro Vascular Plug (MVP) (Medtronic, USA) as single or complementary embolization device with parenchimal sparing.

Five patients have been treated in a single center with transarterial embolization because of renal hemorrhages occurring after positioning of nephrostomic drainages. All patients presented with back pain, severe hematuria and/or bright red blood into the nephrostomic bag, with fall in hemoglobin value. After contrast enhanced CT scan confirming arterial active bleeding, rescue embolization was performed using MVP. The renal parenchimal loss was estimated on final postembolization DSA. Creatinine values were monitored before and after the procedure.

Technical and clinical successes were obtained in all patients. Two patients presented with extraluminal blush, one with multiple pseudoaneurysms, one with pseudoaneurysm with arterovenous fistula, one with extraluminal blush with arterovenous fistula. MVP models were choosen oversized because of vasospasm that would underestimate the effective caliber of target vessel; MVP 3Q and MVP 7Q were adopted in one patient each, while MVP 5Q was released in three cases. MVP was the sole embolizing agent in four patients; in one patient, MVP was employed after microcoils failed to obtain complete embolization. The percentage of renal parenchimal lost was lower than 20%; no increase in Creatinine values was detected at dismission.

According to proposed data, MVP seems to be a safe, effective and fast embolizing device that interventionalists could consider when facing renal bleedings, even as sole agent.