Hung-Sheng Huang, Chien-Chin Hsu and Kuo-Tai Chen
Renal artery embolism (RAE) is a rare disease, and its clinical features and diagnostic tools are mysterious to most physicians. Anticoagulants, surgery, and thrombolytic therapies have been used to treat patients with RAE. However, there is no universal protocol for the proper management of RAE and the timing of treatment. This variation in treatment management further impairs the comparison of different therapies, complications and prognoses. We reported a RAE patient who underwent intra-arterial urokinase treatment. A detailed literature search found that the most common presentations of RAE are localized pain in the flank/abdomen, nausea and vomiting, and fever. A few laboratory abnormalities, including elevations of lactic dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, and white cell count, as well as unexplained proteinuria and hematuria, are useful screening tools for RAE. A contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan of the abdomen is currently the best diagnostic tool. Anticoagulants are an effective and safe treatment, resulting in a fair prognosis for RAE cases. The rates of mortality and long-term hemodialysis are low. Surgery and intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy should be reserved in cases where the aggressive preservation of residual renal function is necessary in patients with deteriorated renal function or only one functional kidney. In addition, concurrent and subsequent thrombolytic events in other organs are common in patients with RAE.
