Surgical versus medical treatment of renal artery embolism

Seventy four case reports of acute renal arterial embolism were analyzed, to compare operative and non-operative management of this disease regarding survival and kidney salvage. The mortality was the same (25%), whatever the treatment. Surgery allows a much higher kidney salvage rate, especially whenever an embolus obstructs the main renal artery. Thus, apart from critically ill patients or segmental renal embolism, treatment should be surgical, irrespective of the time elapsed since onset. A short medical preparation will precede the operation.