Renal artery aneurysm: a report of 28 cases

Renal artery aneurysms are being increasingly encountered due to the wider use of angiography. From 1972 to 1992, 28 patients with renal artery aneurysm were identified in the present study, including 18 women and 10 men, with a mean age of 58 years. The aneurysms were discovered incidentally in 39% of patients during evaluation for hypertension in 39%, and during investigation of abdominal pain in 22%. Only 7% of patients had symptoms directly attributable to the aneurysm. Aneurysm size varied from 0.5cm to 8cm in diameter, with a mean of 2.1 cm. The main renal artery was involved in 52% of cases, and primary branches in 44%; the remainder were intraparenchymal. There was a slight right-sided predominance in this series. The etiology of the aneurysms included atherosclerosis (75%), fibromuscular disease (21%), and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (4%). Surgical therapy was undertaken in 10 patients (36%). Procedures performed included aortorenal bypass in four patients, aneurysm excision and renal artery repair in three, partial nephrectomy in one, and total nephrectomy in two. Although the natural history of renal artery macroaneurysms is not known with certainty, potential complications include embolization and rupture. The authors' indications for surgery include: (a) symptomatic or enlarging aneurysms; (b) renal embolization; (c) aneurysms in pregnant females or those considering pregnancy; (d) renovascular hypertension; (e) aneurysms> 2.5cm. Most symptom-free aneurysm s<2.5 cm in diameter can be safely treated expectantly.