Spontaneous rupture of the kidney in a patient with acute autoimmune disease

A percutaneous renal biopsy was performed on a 50-year-old female with rapidly progressive renal failure. The histologic specimen was characteristic of an immune complex disease, most likely systemic lupus erythematosus. Serologic tests were negative. 8 days after the biopsy, there was a spontaneous rupture of the kidney which necessitated nephrectomy. As no connection was found between the biopsy site and the rupture, it was concluded that the rupture was spontaneous in a patient with an immune complex disease.