Bilateral renal vein thrombosis secondary to membraneous glomerulonephritis: successful treatment with thrombolytic therapy

Abstract

Renal vein thrombosis (RVT) is a rare phenomenon. Bilateral RVT is even less common. RVT has been reported as idiopathic or in association with puerperium, hypercoagulable states, membraneous glomerulonephritis (MGn), renal transplantation, malignancy, and renal vein instrumentation or trauma. Due to its rarity, the literature describing RVT consists mainly of isolated case reports and there are no consistent recommendations regarding diagnosis and treatment of this vascular emergency. We present a case of bilateral RVT associated with MGn. A 45-year-old man complaining of nonspecific abdominal pain of 2 days' duration was found to have bilateral RVT upon computed tomographic evaluation. He was successfully treated with emergent endovascular mechanical thrombectomy in conjunction with chemical thrombolysis and subsequently therapeutically anticoagulated. A renal biopsy demonstrated MGn, and the patient was placed on an appropriate medical regimen. He is well approximately 18 months later, with preserved renal function. Despite a multitude of potential causative mechanisms, all RVT patients should undergo a thorough workup for underlying hypercoagulable disorder and underlying benign or malignant renal causes. Treatment is aimed at prompt relief of venous obstruction and preservation of renal parenchymal function. Interventional radiological procedures, including thrombolysis and thrombectomy, have proven to be valuable in the treatment of RVT. Surgical options include thrombectomy and nephrectomy.