Spontaneous non-neoplastic subcapsular haematoma of the kidney. Report of five cases.

Spontaneous subcapsular haematoma (SCH) of the kidney is a rare condition, secondary to kidney tumours in more than 50% of cases. Nephrectomy is justi fied in the presence of tumour or uncontrolled haemorrhage. When the aetiol ogy cannot be determined, thin-slice CT follow-up of the patient's kidney c an be performed. The authors report 5 cases of SCH of the kidney. A retro-p elvic aneurysm was responsible for the haematoma in one case; polyarteritis nodosa was the cause of bleeding in another case and the aetiology could n ot be determined in two cases. All patients were managed surgically. Nephre ctomy was performed in 3 cases and simple evacuation of the haematoma was p erformed in 2 cases.