Stent in Left Renal Vein Stuck at the Opening of Tricuspid Valve.

A 41-year-old male patient presented to the hospital with chest tightness and intermittent chest pain. Cardiac ultrasonography revealed a metallic foreign body in the right ventricle, accompanied by tricuspid insufficiency. A chest computed tomographic scan further confirmed a foreign body stuck at the opening of the tricuspid valve. The 14- × 40-mm stent was removed from the right ventricle through a thoracotomy. The patient had undergone left renal venous stenting 1 month earlier for treatment of nutcracker syndrome. Thus, for patients who have received left renal venous stenting for treatment of nutcracker syndrome, clinicians should pay due attention to stent graft migration.

Post-Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistula of Left Renal Vessels: Case Report of a Silent Complication for 23 Years.

Abdominal trauma leads rarely to severe renal injury such as acquired arterioveinous fistula. Here, we present the case of a 46-year-old man with a history of suicide attempt by a gunshot in the abdomen. At that time, explorative laparotomy was unremarkable. He consulted 23 years later for chronic left lumbar pain and was diagnosed with an arterioveinous fistula of left renal vessels with a-10-cm aneurysm of the left renal artery. We performed a left nephrectomy and endovascular clamping was the best option to manage this giant aneurysm in a hostile abdomen.

Visualization of the renal vein filled with contrast agent may indicate the renal vein injury during percutaneous nephrolithotomy: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous misplacement of a nephrostomy tube is a rare complication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) or percutaneous nephrostomy. The mechanism of misplacement of a nephrostomy tube into the vascular system is seldom investigated. One type of the possible mechanism is that the puncture needle penetrates a major intrarenal tributary of the renal vein and enters the collecting system. However, the guidewire is located outside the collecting system near the large branches of renal vein or perforates into the renal vein. The dilation is performed and causes a large torn injury. Subsequently, the nephrostomy tube is placed inside the vessel when radiological monitoring is not used. However, there is no imaging evidence and the scene of procedure is not demonstrated. This paper reports two cases of visualization of the renal vein filled with contrast agent during PCNL. The findings may be good evidence to support the step of renal vein injury in patients with intravenous nephrostomy tube misplacement. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented two cases with visualization of the renal vein filled with contrast agent during PCNL. In the process of injecting the contrast agent through the puncture needle, we could see the renal vein. Moreover, it was identified that the puncture needle tip was not on the optimal position. The position of puncture needle tip lay outside the collecting system, which was close to the calyceal infundibulum and branches of renal vein. CONCLUSIONS: Visualization of the renal vein filled with contrast agent may be good evidence to verify the renal vein injury in patients with intravenous nephrostomy tube misplacement during PCNL or percutaneous nephrostomy. The suboptimal location of the puncture needle tip and visualization of the renal vein filled with contrast agent indicate the renal vein injury. One type of mechanism of intravenous nephrostomy tube misplacement is as following. Firstly, the guidewire stays outside the collecting system. Subsequently, dilatation directed by the guidewire results in the injury of the vein. Then, the nephrostomy tube migrates into the venous system due to prompt tube inserting and the direction of the sheath and/or the guidewire to the injured vein.

The consequences of major visceral vascular injuries on outcome in patients with pancreatic injuries: a case-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Major pancreatic injuries are complex to treat, especially when combined with vascular and other critical organ injuries. This case-matched analysis assessed the influence of associated visceral vascular injuries on outcome in pancreatic injuries. METHOD: A registered prospective database of 461 consecutive patients with pancreatic injuries was used to identify 68 patients with a Pancreatic Injury combined with a major visceral Vascular Injury (PIVI group) and were matched one-to-one by an independent blinded reviewer using a validated individual matching method to 68 similar Pancreatic Injury patients without a vascular injury (PI group). The two groups were compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis and outcome including complication rates, length of hospital stay and 90-day mortality rate was measured. RESULTS: The two groups were well matched according to surgical intervention. Mortality in the PIVI group was 41% (n = 28) compared to 13% (n = 9) in the PI alone group (p = 0.000, OR 4.5, CI 1.00-10.5). On univariate analysis the PIVI group was significantly more likely to (i) be shocked on admission, (ii) have a RTS < 7.8, (iii) require damage control laparotomy, (iv) require a blood transfusion, both in frequency and volume, (v) develop a major postoperative complication and (vi) die. On multivariate analysis, the need for damage control laparotomy was a significant variable (p = 0.015, OR 7.95, CI 1.50-42.0) for mortality. Mortality of AAST grade 1 and 2 pancreatic injuries combined with a vascular injury was 18.5% (5/27) compared to an increased mortality of 56.1% (23/41) of AAST grade 3, 4 and 5 pancreatic injuries with vascular injuries (p = 0.0026). CONCLUSION: This study confirms that pancreatic injuries associated with major visceral vascular injuries have a significantly higher complication and mortality rate than pancreatic injuries without vascular injuries and that the addition of a vascular injury with an increasing AAST grade of pancreatic injury exponentially compounds the mortality rate.

[Traumatic dissection of the left renal pedicle in a young adult]. / Dissection traumatique de l'artère rénale gauche chez un adulte jeune.

Blunt trauma rarely causes renal pedicle dissection. Clinical signs are minimal and inconsistently reported. The diagnosis is based on computed tomographic angiography; arteriography is still useful when revascularization is considered. We report here a case of traumatic dissection with thrombosis of a juxta-aortic renal pedicle monitored in the intensive care unit. An endovascular procedure could not be proposed because of the juxta-aortic localization.

Inter-rater reliability in the radiological classification of renal injuries.

INTRODUCTION: Although many radiologists invoke the surgical classification of renal injury proposed by the American Association for Surgery in Trauma (AAST), there has been only limited work on the role of the AAST system as an imaging stratification. The aim was to determine the inter-rater reliability (IRR) amongst radiologists and urologists using the AAST system. METHODS: A 1-year retrospective study of consecutive patients with computed tomography (CT) evidence of renal trauma managed at a Level 1 trauma center. Three radiologists and three urologists independently stratified the presentation CT findings according to the AAST renal trauma classification. Agreement between independent raters and mutually exclusive groups was determined utilizing weighted kappa coefficients. RESULTS: One hundred and one patients were included. Individual inter-observer agreements ranged from 54/101 (53.4%) to 62/101 (61.4%), with corresponding weighted kappa values from 0.61 to 0.69, constituting substantial agreement. Urologists achieved intra-disciplinary agreement in 49 cases (48.5%) and radiologists in 36 cases (35.6%). Six-reader agreement was achieved in 24 cases (23.7%). The AAST grade I injuries had the highest level of agreement, overall. CONCLUSION: The finding of substantial IRR amongst radiologists and urologists utilizing the AAST system supports continued use of the broad parameters of the AAST system, with some modification in specific categories with lower agreement.

Iatrogenic Major Venous Injury Is Associated with Increased Morbidity of Aortic Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Major venous injury during open aortic reconstruction though uncommon often result in sudden and massive blood loss resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. This study details the etiology, management, and outcome of such injuries. METHODS: A retrospective review of 945 patients (1981-2017) undergoing aortic reconstruction from 2 midsized (350 bed each) teaching hospitals was conducted. Seven hundred twenty-three patients (76.5%) underwent open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair/iliac aneurysm repair, 222 patients (23.5%) underwent aortofemoral grafting (AFG). Patients sustaining major venous injury (sudden loss of more than 500 mL of blood) during major aortic reconstruction were studied. The number of units of packed red blood cells transfused, location of injured vessel, type of repair, postoperative morbidity, and mortality were collected in our vascular registry on a continuous basis. All patients identified with iliac vein/inferior vena cava/femoral vein injury had follow-up noninvasive venous examination of the lower extremities. RESULTS: Eighteen major venous injuries (1.9%) occurred during aortic reconstruction in 17 patients (1 patient had 2 major venous injuries): IVC (n = 4), iliac vein (n = 10), left renal vein (n = 4, this includes a posterior retroaortic renal vein injury n = 1). Of the 18 major venous injuries, 7 occurred during open AAA repair for ruptured AAA and another 9 occurred during repair of intact AAA (P = 0.001), 2 venous injuries occurred after AFG, and 1 after primary AFG (P = 0.05). Using multivariate regression analysis, periarterial inflammation had significant association with major venous injury (P < 0.001). The presence of associated iliac aneurysm with abdominal aortic aneurysm also increased the incidence of major venous injury during AAA surgery (P = 0.05). Two patients (11.8%) died, one from uncontrolled bleeding due to tear of right common iliac vein during ruptured AAA repair and second patient from disseminated intravascular complication following repair of ruptured AAA. Intraoperative transfusion requirements were 3-28 units, (median 8 units). Three of 9 (33%) surviving patients developed iliofemoral venous thrombosis following repair of iliac/femoral vein injury. CONCLUSIONS: Major venous injury during aortic reconstructions occurs more commonly during the repair of ruptured AAA and redo AFG. Following repair of iliac/femoral vein injury, surveillance for possible deep venous thrombosis by duplex imaging should be considered.

Hematomas in Tiger Territory: An Endovascular Alternative to Wading In.

A 26-year-old man presented with gunshot wound to the epigastrium. At surgery, he was hemodynamically stable and had a tense hematoma with thrill in zone 2 (right side) and porta triad. After liver injury was controlled, he underwent percutaneous stenting of a renal artery-vena cava fistula and the hepatic artery injury was followed. Historically, penetrating injury to zone 2 has mandated operative exploration. However, with the advent of endovascular options, in stable patients, catheter-based options offer a reasonable alternative with less risk of blood loss and possible nephrectomy. Renal artery stenting has been advocated for renal artery cava fistulas. The role of timing, hybrid operating suites, and traditional operative exposure will vary based on presentation and institutional capabilities.

[Management of intraparenchymal pseudoaneurysm after blunt renal trauma: Results from a series of 325 patients]. / Prise en charge des pseudo-anévrismes rénaux intraparenchymateux post-traumatiques : à propos d'une série de 325 patients traumatisés rénaux.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose was to describe the management of intraparenchymal pseudoaneurysm (PA) after blunt renal trauma in our center, and to review the cases published in the literature, in order to propose a management algorithm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the files of 325 patients included in a prospective database, from July, 2004, to May, 2016. A systematic review of the published cases was done with the keywords "blunt renal trauma" and "pseudoaneurysm" in Pubmed (excluding arteriovenous fistulas, open renal traumas and extraparenchymal PA) allowing us to analyze 29 extra cases. Management of these patients in our center is decribed. RESULTS: Among 325 kidney trauma patients, 160 (49.3%) had grade IV and V renal trauma. Conservative management was done in 93.2%. We noted 8 cases of PA, with an incidence of 2.5%. Four patients required angioembolization. Four patients were treated by watchful waiting, with 2 cases of spontaneous occlusion, one case of absence of regression and embolization, and one case of occult hemorrhage. All PA with a favorable outcome were less than 1cm. The mean relative renal scintigraphic function at 6 months of the kidneys requiring embolization was 71.6%. The literature review reported 29 published cases, among whom 26 required embolization, with a success rate of 84.6%. Two cases were just watched, but one was finally embolized in the absence of regression. CONCLUSION: Pseudoneurysm formation after blunt renal trauma is a rare complication (2.5%). In case of clinical symptoms or hemodynamic instability, embolization allows a good renal preservation. Watchful waiting seems to be an option in asymptomatic cases with a PA less than 1cm. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

Recurrent Admissions for Respiratory Distress Caused by Large Renal AVF.

Renal arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are an uncommon complication of nephrectomy. In this report, we present the case of a 66-year-old female presenting with progressive dyspnea on exertion and exercise intolerance. She was diagnosed and treated for adult onset reactive airway disease. The patient underwent nephrectomy at age 18 secondary to recurrent pyelonephritis from vesicoureteral reflux. She underwent a surveillance computed tomography (CT) scan to evaluate a small ascending aneurysm that was initially detected on cardiac echocardiogram. A large left renal AVF was detected incidentally on the CT scan. The fistula was successfully treated by ligation of the renal artery with resolution of pulmonary symptoms.

Renal Arteriovenous Shunts: Clinical Features, Imaging Appearance, and Transcatheter Embolization Based on Angioarchitecture.

Renal arteriovenous (AV) shunt, a rare pathologic condition, is divided into two categories, traumatic and nontraumatic, and can cause massive hematuria, retroperitoneal hemorrhage, pain, and high-output heart failure. Although transcatheter embolization is a less-invasive and effective treatment option, it has a potential risk of complications, including renal infarction and pulmonary embolism, and a potential risk of recanalization. The successful embolization of renal AV shunt requires a complete occlusion of the shunted vessel while preventing the migration of embolic materials and preserving normal renal arterial branches, which depends on the selection of adequate techniques and embolic materials for individual cases, based on the etiology and imaging angioarchitecture of the renal AV shunts. A classification of AV malformations in the extremities and body trunk could precisely correspond with the angioarchitecture of the nontraumatic renal AV shunts. The selection of techniques and choice of adequate embolic materials such as coils, vascular plugs, and liquid materials are determined on the basis of cause (eg, traumatic vs nontraumatic), the classification, and some other aspects of the angioarchitecture of renal AV shunts, including the flow and size of the fistulas, multiplicity of the feeders, and endovascular accessibility to the target lesions. Computed tomographic angiography and selective digital subtraction angiography can provide precise information about the angioarchitecture of renal AV shunts before treatment. Color Doppler ultrasonography and time-resolved three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography represent useful tools for screening and follow-up examinations of renal AV shunts after embolization. In this article, the classifications, imaging features, and an endovascular treatment strategy based on the angioarchitecture of renal AV shunts are described.

A review of the anatomy and clinical significance of adrenal veins.

The adrenal veins may present with a multitude of anatomical variants, which surgeons must be aware of when performing adrenalectomies. The adrenal veins originate during the formation of the prerenal inferior vena cava (IVC) and are remnants of the caudal portion of the subcardinal veins, cranial to the subcardinal sinus in the embryo. The many communications between the posterior cardinal, supracardinal, and subcardinal veins of the primordial venous system provide an explanation for the variable anatomy. Most commonly, one central vein drains each adrenal gland. The long left adrenal vein joins the inferior phrenic vein and drains into the left renal vein, while the short right adrenal vein drains immediately into the IVC. Multiple variations exist bilaterally and may pose the risk of surgical complications. Due to the potential for collaterals and accessory adrenal vessels, great caution must be taken during an adrenalectomy. Adrenal venous sampling, the gold standard in diagnosing primary hyperaldosteronism, also requires the clinician to have a thorough knowledge of the adrenal vein anatomy to avoid iatrogenic injury. The adrenal vein acts as an important conduit in portosystemic shunts, thus the nature of the anatomy and hypercoagulable states pose the risk of thrombosis.

Metachronous renal vein and artery injure after percutaneous nephrostolithotomy.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous nephrostolithotomy is important approach for kidney stones removal. A percutaneous nephrostomy drainage tube placement is an effective method to stop venous bleeding. Occasionally, the catheter can pierce into the renal parenchyma, and migrate into the renal vein even to the vena cava. CASE PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old woman underwent a percutaneous nephrostolithotomy for kidney staghorn stone complicating severe bleeding. A computed tomography angiography showed the percutaneous nephrostomy drainage tube inside the renal vein. The percutaneous nephrostomy drainage tube was withdrawn 3 cm back to the renal parenchyma/sinus/pelvis in stages with the surgical team on standby. Seven days later, the patient developed severe hematuria. Computed tomography angiography demonstrated the pseudoaneurysm located near the percutaneous nephrostomy drainage tube. Pseudoaneurysm is embolized successfully. CONCLUSION: Our case shows intravenous misplacement of the nephrostomy tube and subsequent pseudoaneurysm after percutaneous nephrostolithotomy. To our knowledge, this seems to be the first documentation of major bleeding from the injury to both renal vein and artery. The percutaneous nephrostomy drainage tube can be withdrawn back to the renal parenchyma/sinus/pelvis in stages with the surgical team on standby, and the withdrawn distance may vary according to patient and catheter position.

Robotic partial nephrectomy for solitary kidney: a multi-institutional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) for solitary kidney in a large multicenter series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 886 consecutive patients who underwent RPN at 5 academic institutions from May 2007 to May 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Data were prospectively collected in an Investigational Review Board-approved protocol. Experienced robotic surgeons performed all operations. Patient demographics, functional, perioperative, and early oncologic outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients with a solitary kidney were identified and included in the analysis; of these, 16 (62%) had solitary kidneys secondary to a previous malignancy. Perioperative outcomes included a median warm ischemia time of 17 minutes (interquartile range, 12, 28 minutes). Only 2 intraoperative complications occurred. One was a renal vein injury and one an aortic vessel tear, and both patients required intraoperative blood transfusions. No conversions to laparoscopy or open surgery occurred. There were 3 postoperative complications (11.5%). Median follow-up was 6 months (interquartile range, 5, 9.7 months). Postoperative renal function did not change significantly as measure by estimated glomerular filtration rate (-15.8%; P=.13). None of the patients required dialysis. Positive margins occurred in 1 patient, with 73% of patients having a renal cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: We report a multi-institutional series of RPN in patients with solitary kidney presenting with small renal masses. Our findings suggest that RPN represents a feasible treatment option in this specific population by offering reliable preservation of renal function, low surgical morbidity, and early oncologic safety in the hands of experienced robotic surgeons.

Detection of hemorrhage source: the diagnostic value of post-mortem CT-angiography.

The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of post-mortem computed tomography angiography (PMCTA) to conventional, ante-mortem computed tomography (CT)-scan, CT-angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the detection and localization of the source of bleeding in cases of acute hemorrhage with fatal outcomes. The medical records and imaging scans of nine individuals who underwent a conventional, ante-mortem CT-scan, CTA or DSA and later died in the hospital as a result of an acute hemorrhage were reviewed. Post-mortem computed tomography angiography, using multi-phase post-mortem CTA, as well as medico-legal autopsies were performed. Localization accuracy of the bleeding was assessed by comparing the diagnostic findings of the different techniques. The results revealed that data from ante-mortem and post-mortem radiological examinations were similar, though the PMCTA showed a higher sensitivity for detecting the hemorrhage source than did ante-mortem radiological investigations. By comparing the results of PMCTA and conventional autopsy, much higher sensitivity was noted in PMCTA in identifying the source of the bleeding. In fact, the vessels involved were identified in eight out of nine cases using PMCTA and only in three cases through conventional autopsy. Our study showed that PMCTA, similar to clinical radiological investigations, is able to precisely identify lesions of arterial and/or venous vessels and thus determine the source of bleeding in cases of acute hemorrhages with fatal outcomes.