Renal angiomyolipomas: long-term follow-up of embolization for acute hemorrhage

To determine if elective, angiographically directed embolization of enlarged renal angiomyolipomas can be used to prevent future hemorrhagic episodes in patients with tuberous sclerosis and thus avoid nephrectomy.

Records were reviewed for all 5 patients who underwent elective, subtotal embolization of large, symptomatic angiomyolipomas at the authors' institution between 1975 and 1996.

All 5 patients had tuberous sclerosis and bilateral renal angiomyolipomas. Initial embolization in these patients was performed in 1975, 1981, 1993 (2 patients) and 1994. In 1 patient only a single embolization session was required. In another, initial embolization on the left side was followed by embolization on the right 13 months later. Two patients underwent 2 sessions, and 1 patient had 4 sessions over a 13-year period. Subtotal embolization with particulate material led to a decrease in size of the most severely affected portion of the kidney. One large angiomyolipoma underwent sterile liquefaction after embolization; percutaneous catheter drainage was required. The embolization allowed subsequent partial nephrectomy in this patient.

Embolization is effective for the long-term management of renal angiomyolipomas in patients with tuberous sclerosis; in this way nephrectomy and loss of renal function can usually be avoided.