[Angiomyolipomas, tuberous sclerosis and pregnancy]

Abstract

Renal angiomyolipomas are uncommon tumours during pregnancy, but it's important to consider them in the differential diagnosis, for the increased risk of complications such as bleeding, specially during pregnancy. Their characteristics are different depending on if the tumour is associated or not with facomatosis. To show both possibilities, we describe two cases of pregnant women with angiomyolipomas: the first one presented with bleeding of the tumour (Wünderlich's syndrome), but surveillance without treatment was possible until 37th week of gestation, and embolization of the tumour was performed afterwards. The second patient had multiple well known angiomyolipomas, associated to tuberous sclerosis; even though she had required two previous embolizations, she had an uneventful pregnancy, without any episodes of bleeding. Both pregnancies ended successfully by means of a cesarean section. Since there are few papers available in the literature, there is not an agreement about therapeutic management when pregnant women present with bleeding angiomyolipomas (Wünderlich's syndrome). Treatment options include partial or total nephrectomy (with cesarean section simultaneously in patients at 28 weeks of gestation or later), transcateter selective arterial embolization (which can also be preventive), and sometimes, conservative management. If this last option is possible, there's still discussion about the risk of vaginal delivery compared with that of cesarean section, in terms of bleeding of the tumour.