Intravenous pyelography in abdominal trauma

The present report is a retrospective review of 23 patients admitted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center during 1975 and 1976, selected because they had sustained renal trauma as ascertained by hematuria, intravenous pyelography (IVP), or operative intervention. The value of IVP was determined by the patients' eventual hospital course. Of five patients with penetrating injuries, all had hematuria and an intravenous pyelogram on admission. One of these patients did not require an operation. Among the 18 patients with blunt abdominal trauma, six of the 14 patients who had hematuria and an IVP on admission were spared operation. Four patients did not have hematuria, but all four had a renal lesion. Two of these patients required an operation: one for inspection of a traumatic left nephrectomy; the other for bilateral renal artery occlusion, successfully repaired after 16 hours. Whenever feasible all patients sustaining abdominal trauma should have an IVP regardless of whether or not hematuria is present.