SPONTANEOUS RENAL HAEMORRHAGE

Abstract

Introduction: Spontaneous renal haemorrhage is a rare condition with potentially serious complications.

Case description: We describe a 76-year-old woman with a 3-day history of fever and malaise, with no associated trauma. She was admitted to our emergency room with signs of shock. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed an extensive right kidney haematoma. Despite fast surgical management, the patient died less than 24 h after admission.

Conclusion: Spontaneous renal haemorrhage should be quickly identified due to its fatal complications. Early diagnosis leads to a better prognosis.

Learning points: Spontaneous renal haemorrhage is a severe and rare condition in the absence of trauma and antithrombotic therapy.Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scan is the gold standard for diagnosis.Surgical nephrectomy should be considered in haemodynamically unstable patients.Conservative therapy with intravenous resuscitation and blood products should be considered in stable patients.

Keywords: Lenk’s triad; Spontaneous renal haemorrhage; renal haematoma.

Figure 1

Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scan shows a right intraparenchymal and perirenal haematoma. No abnormal vascular malformations or tumours were found