Bleeding of two lumbar arteries caused by one puncture following percutaneous nephrolithotomy: A case report

Lumbar artery bleeding is an uncommon complication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). This report presents a rare complication where two lumbar arteries were injured by a single puncture following PCNL. Only scarce reports of this complication have been reported.

A 24-year-old man presented with a 2.2 cm right renal calculus, which was managed by PCNL. During nephrostomy tube removal on the 6^th postoperative day, intense bleeding was observed in the fistula and the catheter. Renal angiography was undertaken immediately; however, an initial selective renal angiogram revealed no evidence of renal vascular injury. One of these injuries involved a pseudoaneurysm from a peripheral branch in the first right lumbar artery, while the other involved an arteriovenous fistula from a peripheral branch in the second right lumbar artery. Subsequently, coil embolization was performed successfully.

This case is being reported to inform clinicians that lumbar artery damage is one of the causes of severe bleeding after PCNL and could involve damage of more than one artery.