Conservative management of non-traumatic subcapsular renal hematoma: a case report

The case of a 78-year-old woman with a non-traumatic subcapsular renal hematoma is described. She complained of right flank pain and fever and the findings following abdominal echography, computerized tomography (CT) scan and renal angiography agreed with a diagnosis of subcapsular renal hematoma without renal tumor. Percutaneous drainage of the hematoma improved her clinical symptoms and the lesion was seen on CT scan. Ten months later, no change in the right kidney could be seen on CT scan and echography. We conclude that conservative management is the first choice for subcapsular renal hematoma without a definite etiology, especially in an elderly patient.