[The clinical evaluation of kidney trauma: the practical indications for complementary examinations]

The aim of the present work is to try to know the clinical data that can provide directions on the attitude to take with patients who seek advise with a suspicion of renal traumatism, thus allowing to select those that may require complementary examination. This is a retrospective revision of 190 cases of renal trauma admitted in our hospital between 1971 and 1992. We rated 3 large syndrome groups based on the patient's major signs and symptoms. The first indication in 71 patients was haemorrhagic syndrome (shock or anaemia); 100 patients had microscopic or gross haematuria non-associated to anaemia; and 6 patients showed painful signs and symptoms. Existence of renal injury should be suspected in patients that came to the hospital with a background of trauma, microscopic or gross haematuria, shock with or without haematuria or intraabdominal lesions; the performance of complementary examinations is necessary in patients with evidence of gross haematuria, microscopic haematuria associated to shock or suspected associated extra-renal intra-abdominal lesions, or shock whether or not associated to haematuria.