ETIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH RENAL TRAUMA - A SURVEY ON PATIENTS IN THE TAMPERE AREA DURING 2 DECADES

A material of 185 renal traumas treated during 1972-1991 was analyzed. A typical patient was a young man; the mean age was 30 years. The mos t common aetiology was traffic accident (45 %). Penetrating traumas we re rare (2 %). The most common and significant finding was macroscopic haematuria, but the absence of haematuria did not exclude renal traum a. Unexpected findings were seen in 7 % of cases. The most common rena l injuries were contusion (69 %) and laceration (20 %) which were most ly treated conservatively (85 %) with good results. Only 15 % of patie nts were operated. Renal complications were few both in the conservati vely and in the surgically treated patients. No mortality was seen.