Objectives:The aim of the study was to determine whether a nonoperative app
roach is able to reduce renal parenchymal loss after renal trauma.
Methods: Sixty-four consecutive patients with major blunt renal lacerations
were treated from 1988 to 1999. Initial management was conservative. In gr
oup 1 (35 patients) delayed hemorrhage, persistent urinoma or hemodynamic i
nstability were dealt with by open surgery. In group 2 (29 patients), most
complications were dealt with using endoscopic procedures; open surgery was
reserved exclusively for major complications.
Results: In group 1, 7 patients were not operated and 28 patients were mana
ged surgically. Twenty (57%) patients underwent total (8) or partial (12) n
ephrectomy. In 8 patients the surgical intervention was open drainage of pe
rinephric collection (6) and/or renorrhaphies (2). Four patients in this gr
oup developed urinary fistulae treated successfully with ureteral stents. L
ength of hospital stay was 9.6 days (3-25 days). In group 2, persistent hem
odynamic instability led to nephrectomy in 1 case. The remaining 28 patient
s were managed conservatively, with endoscopic ureteric stenting in 5 cases
. A persistent urinary extravasation with hyperthermia led to open drainage
of perinephric urinoma (5) and renorrhaphy (2). No delayed nephrectomy was
necessary. Average hospital stay was 12 days (5-21 days). Only 1 patient i
n this group developed hypertension.
Conclusion: For most patients and with close follow-up available, conservat
ive treatment represents a real alternative to open surgery in major blunt
renal lacerations. In our experience, open surgery usually results in loss
of renal parenchyma. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.