Renal pedicle injury in patients with multiple injuries

In a study of 41 patients seen over 24 years, renal pedicle injuries were associated with life-threatening multiple system injuries and the immediate surgical management of these associated injuries by general surgeons took precedence over that of the renal pedicle injury. The result was the delayed diagnosis of the renal pedicle injury with loss of function of the kidney. In an effort to improve the renal salvage rate aggressive management of renal pedicle injuries with immediate radiologic evaluation and early surgical treatment was instituted in 1969. The records of 41 renal pedicle injuries from 1959 to 1983 were evaluated. Blunt external trauma was the cause in 76%. All 41 patients had multiple system injuries, averaging 3.7 associated injuries per patient, with 35 (85%) having a laparotomy for intra-abdominal injuries and an overall mortality rate of 44%. Conservative management was followed in 13 patients, with injury to the renal artery in nine and a branch of the renal artery in four, with a renal loss/delayed nephrectomy rate of nine of nine (100%) renal artery injuries. Immediate surgical management was performed in 23 patients, with injury to the renal artery in nine, the renal artery and renal vein in four, a branch of the renal artery in two, and the renal vein in eight, with a renal salvage rate of seven of 21 (33%) renal artery and/or vein injuries. Five patients died on admission or on the operating room table. A significant renal salvage rate resulted from immediate radiologic evaluation and early surgical treatment of renal artery/vein injuries compared to zero salvage rate with conservative management.