title: Renal Trauma: The Rugby Factor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal trauma accounts for 5% of all trauma cases. Rare mechanisms of injuries including sports participation are increasingly common. Rugby-related trauma poses a conundrum for physicians and players due to the absence of clear guidelines and a paucity of evidence. Our series highlights traumatic rugby-related renal injuries in our institution, and emphasize the need for international guidelines on management.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all abdominal traumas between January 2006 and April 2013, specifically assessing for renal related trauma that were secondary to rugby injuries was performed. All patients' demographics, computerized tomography results, hematological and biochemical results and subsequent management were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five male patients presented with rugby-related injuries. Mean age was 21 years old. All patients were hemodynamically stable and managed conservatively in acute setting. One patient was detected to have an unknown pre-existing atrophic kidney that had been subsequently injured, and was booked for an elective nephrectomy an 8-week interval.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rugby-related trauma has generated essential attention. This paper serves to highlight this type of injury and the need for defined guidelines on role of imaging and international consensus on timing of return to contact sport, in both professional and amateur settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Nason
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Barry B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilcoyne
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galvin
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quinlan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mulvin
keywords: Abdominal trauma; Renal trauma; Sports trauma; Trauma management