title: Angiographic findings and embolotherapy in renal arterial trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the angiographic findings and embolotherapy in the management of traumatic renal arterial injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective review of 22 patients with renal trauma who underwent arteriography and percutaneous embolization from December 1995 to January 2002. Medical records, imaging studies and procedural reports were reviewed to assess the type of injury, arteriographic findings and immediate embolization results. Long-term clinical outcome was obtained by communication with the trauma physicians and by clinical chart review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arteriography was performed in 125 patients admitted to a State Trauma Center with suspected internal bleeding. Renal arterial injury was documented in 22 and was the result of a motor-vehicle accident (10), auto-pedestrian accident (1), gunshot (4) or stab wounds (6) and a fall (1). Percutaneous renal arterial embolization was undertaken in 22 of 125 (18%) patients to treat extravasation (11), arterial pedicle rupture (5), abnormal arteriovenous (3) or arteriocalyceal (2) communication and pseudoaneurysm (3). One of the pseudoaneurysms and one of the arteriovenous fistulae were found in addition to extravasation. All 22 patients (16 men, 6 women) were hemodynamically stable, or controlled during arteriography and embolotherapy. Selective and/or superselective embolization of the abnormal vessels was performed using coils in 9 patients, microcoils in 9 patients and Gelfoam pledgets in 3 patients. In one patient Gelfoam pledgets mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles were used for embolization. Immediate angiographic evidence of hemostasis was demonstrated in all cases. Two initial technical failures were treated with repeat arteriography and embolization. There was no procedure-related death. There was no non-target embolization. One episode of renal abscess after embolization was treated by nephrectomy and 3 patients underwent elective post-embolization nephrectomy to prevent infection. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 7 years (mean 31 months). No procedure-related or delayed onset of renal insufficiency occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In hemodynamically stable and controlled patients selective and superselective embolization is a safe and effective method for the management of renal vascular injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey UMDNJ-Newark, Newark, New Jersey, USA. constant@pol.net
authors.forename: Constantinos T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Sofocleous
authors.forename: Clay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hinrichs
authors.forename: Basil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hubbi
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brountzos
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaul
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kannarkat
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bahramipour
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barone
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Contractor
authors.forename: Tanmaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D012189:Retrospective Studies