1/38. Gross hematuria of uncommon origin: the nutcracker syndrome.Left renal vein hypertension, also called "nutcracker phenomenon" or "nutcracker syndrome," is a rare vascular abnormality responsible for gross hematuria. The phenomenon is attributable to the idiopathic decrease in the angle between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery with consequent compression of the left renal vein. The entrapment of the left renal vein is not easily detectable by ordinary diagnostic procedures. We report two cases of gross hematuria (persistent in one patient and recurrent in the other) caused by "nutcracker phenomenon." In both cases, no remarkable findings were obtained from medical history, urinary red blood cells morphology, repeated urinalysis, pyelography, cystoscopy, or ureteroscopy. Left renal vein dilation in one case was found with a computed tomography (CT) scan performed on the venous tree of left kidney. The diagnosis of "nutcracker phenomenon" was confirmed by renal venography with measurement of pressure gradient between left renal vein and inferior vena cava in both cases. In one case, the diagnosis was complicated by the presence of mycobacterium tuberculosis in urine. The "nutcracker phenomenon" is probably more common than thought. early diagnosis is important to avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures and complications such as the thrombosis of the left renal vein. Many procedures are available to correct the compression of the left renal vein entrapped between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery: Gortex graft vein interposition, nephropexy, stenting, and kidney autotransplantation. After surgery, gross hematuria ceases in almost all patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/38. Radionuclide renography: a personal approach.Recent advances have increased the value of radionuclide renography in evaluating the patient with suspected disease of the genitourinary tract. The use of the consensus process to help standardize procedures and recommend interpretative criteria provides guidance for the nuclear medicine practitioner, serves as a basis to improve the standard of practice, and facilitates pooling of data from different centers. This review draws on the consensus criteria to present a personal approach to radionuclide renography with a particular emphasis on diuresis renography and the detection of renovascular hypertension. patients are encouraged to come well hydrated and void immediately prior to the study. Our standard radiopharmaceutical is 99mTc mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3). Routine quantitative indices include a MAG3 clearance, whole kidney and cortical (parenchymal) regions of interest, measurements of relative uptake, time to peak height (Tmax), 20 min/max count ratio, residual urine volume and a T(1/2) in patients undergoing diuresis renography. A 1-minute image of the injection site is obtained at the conclusion of the study to check for infiltration because infiltration can invalidate a plasma sample clearance and alter the renogram curve. A postvoid image of the kidneys and bladder is obtained to calculate residual urine volume and to better evaluate drainage from the collecting system. In patients undergoing diuresis renography, the T(1/2) is calculated using a region of interest around the activity in the dilated collecting system. A prolonged T(1/2), however, should never be the sole criterion for diagnosing the presence of obstruction; the T(1/2) must be interpreted in the context of the sequential images, total and individual kidney function, other quantitative indices and available diagnostic studies. The goal of ACE inhibitor renography is to detect renovascular hypertension, not renal artery stenosis. patients with a positive study have a high probability of cure or amelioration of the hypertension following revascularization. In patients with azotemia or in patients with a small, poorly functioning kidney, the test result is often indeterminate (intermediate probability) with an abnormal baseline study that does not change following ACE inhibition. In patients with normal renal function, the test is highly accurate. To avoid unrealistic expectations on the part of the referring physician, it is often helpful to explain the likely differences in test results in these two-patient populations prior to the study.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/38. A case of renal artery stenosis secondary to chronic pancreatitis.We report a case of renal artery stenosis most probably secondary to chronic pancreatitis. The patient had a traumatic pancreatic fistula. This was followed by numerous attacks of pancreatitis in the following years. At a relatively young age, he developed hypertension. Examinations revealed a right renal artery stenosis which was successfully treated by a percutaneous angioplasty. This rare complication should be kept in mind as a possible complication of pancreatitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5179727179246keywords = fistula (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/38. renal artery stenosis and pheochromocytoma: coexistence and treatment.PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop an optimal treatment plan for coexisting pheochromocytoma and renal artery stenosis. methods: A retrospective analysis of the evaluation and management of a hypertensive 14-year-old boy was conducted. RESULTS: Secondary causes of hypertension were excluded initially including intracranial, cardiac, and endocrine abnormalities. A renal scan showed right renal function at 39%. Angiography confirmed a 90% subsegmental stenosis, as well as noting a blush suggesting a tumor. A computerized tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen showed a right adrenal mass. serum epinephrine was 3,006 pg/mL (normal, <1,009 pg/mL) and 24-hour urinary norepinephrine was 2,001 microg (normal, <105 microg/24 h), suggesting the presence of a pheochromocytoma. During the operation for resection, a right subsegmental renal artery was found to be draped around a renal hilar mass; the adrenal gland was normal. The tumor was resected, and pathology confirmed a pheochromocytoma. Postoperatively, the patient had some mild hypertension that gradually resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Extraadrenal pheochromocytomas (paragangliomas) occur more frequently in children and are most commonly located in the renal hilum. In this location, they may present initially as renal artery stenosis as a result of direct arterial compression, fibrous bands, or catecholamine-induced vasospasm. Our experience supports tumor resection of extraadrenal pheochromocytomas as the definitive treatment for both conditions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/38. Aortoenteric fistula. A complication of renal artery bypass graft.The incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to aortoenteric fistula has increased in recent years consequent to more frequent aortic reconstructive procedures. It is necessary to approach any such patient with this diagnostic consideration in mind, since early specific therapy may decrease the mortality. In this setting, there is usually sufficient time available to perform definitive tests to establish the correct diagnosis. We report a 37-year-old patient in whom aortoenteric fistula developed following a renal artery bypass graft.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.1078363075476keywords = fistula (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/38. Renovascular hypertension associated with neurofibromatosis: two cases and review of the literature.The authors report two cases of renovascular hypertension associated with neurofibromatosis. A 19-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of abdominal pain and blood pressure of 180/120 mmHg. Examination revealed cafe-au-lait spots over her chest and extremities. Peripheral plasma renin activity (PRA) under basal conditions was 2.8 ng/ml/h and increased to 12.6 ng/ml/h after administration of 50 mg captopril. plasma and urinary catecholamines were normal. Selective renal angiography showed left aneurysmal dilatation of the segmentary branch and right renal artery stenosis with multiple aneurysmal affecting different branches. blood pressure was controlled by multiple drugs, including beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Another patient, a 20-year-old woman, was admitted because of severe arterial hypertension, numerous cafe-au-lait spots, scoliosis, and mass over the right arm. PRA from the right renal vein was extremely elevated, and selective angiography demonstrated bilateral renal artery stenosis. Aortorenal bypass was performed successfully.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/38. renal artery stenosis associated with saccular aneurysm and arterio-venous fistula.A 25-year-old female presented with uncontrolled hypertension due to renal artery stenosis, a saccular aneurysm at the mid-shaft of the right renal artery, and an arterio-venous fistula distal to the aneurysm. Stent-graft implantation via the percutaneous approach was successfully used to treat this complex pathology.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.589863589623keywords = fistula (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/38. Arterial hypertension with brachydactyly in a 15-year-old boy.Autosomal dominant brachydactyly with hypertension is the only form of monogenic hypertension which is not sodium dependent. The disease is characterized by brachydactyly type E, short stature, arterial hypertension and aberrant loop of posterior inferior cerebellar artery (pica) causing neurovascular conflict. So far the syndrome was described in one family in turkey and two in canada. We report a case of a 15-year-old boy who was admitted because of arterial hypertension 160/100 mmHg. He complained also of attacks of bilateral numbness of hands with deterioration of visual field. Examination revealed short stature (156 cm) and bone deformities of hands and feet consistent with brachydactyly type E. ophthalmoscopy showed mild narrowing of retinal arteries. serum electrolytes, blood gases, and renal function were normal. renin activity and aldosterone concentrations were raised, and 24-h urinary excretion of catecholamines and urinary steroid profile were in normal range. Renal Doppler ultrasound was normal, but renal scintigraphy suggested vascular changes in the left kidney. Echocardiographic examination, besides mild left ventricular hypertrophy, was normal. magnetic resonance angiography (angio-MR) revealed bilateral abnormal pica loops and neurovascular conflict. Spiral angiotomography of renal arteries revealed narrow additional left renal artery. Both nonconsanguineous parents and younger brother were healthy, with normal height, without bone deformities, and had normal intracranial vessels. amlodipine and metoprolol were given, and blood pressure lowered to 143/87. Adding rilmenidine gave no effect and enalapril was then added. It led to further improvement in blood pressure control. To our knowledge, this is the first pediatric description of a sporadic form of autosomal dominant brachydactyly with hypertension with abnormalities of brain and renal arteries.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/38. Severely elevated intrarenal arterial impedance and abnormal venous flow pattern in a normal functioning kidney graft.Serial Doppler sonographic impedance measurements represent the most common diagnostic method for noninvasive monitoring of kidney grafts. Severely elevated arterial impedance is almost always associated with graft dysfunction. However, we describe in the present work a renal transplant recipient with optimal graft function despite permanently elevated arterial impedance (pulsatility index (PI) ranging from 2.9-3.0, and resistive index (RI) = 1.0 as well as an abnormal venous flow pattern. In contrast, the contralateral graft from the same cadaver donors transplanted into a 17-year-old female patient displayed normal range PI and RI values in conjunction with a normal serum creatinine. Known causes of arterial impedance elevation such as rejection, cyclosporine, urinary obstruction, and external graft compression were excluded. Other extrarenal causes of high impedance, such as aortic insufficiency and reduced aortic compliance, were also excluded. No evidence of impaired venous outflow at the site of the anastomosis of the main renal vein to the iliac vein was found. Those findings support the view that impedance indexes are hemodynamic rather than functional parameters.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/38. Spontaneous thrombosis of the renal vessels. Rare entities to be considered in differential diagnosis of patients presenting with lumbar flank pain and hematuria.We report 2 cases of spontaneous thrombotic occlusion of the main renal vessels presenting with acute lumbar flank pain and hematuria suspect of nephrolithiasis. Clinical and laboratory signs of blood hypercoagulability, generalized arterial embolism, nephrotic syndrome or glomerulonephritis were absent. Excretory urography, nephrosonography and retrograde ureteropyelography showed no evidence of upper urinary tract calculi or other causes of obstruction. Renal angiography and cavography demonstrated an acute renal vein thrombosis in 1 patient and a thrombotic occlusion of all but one of the segmental renal arteries in the other patient. These 2 cases demonstrate that thrombotic occlusion of the renal artery or renal vein has to be considered in patients who are presenting with lumbar flank pain and hematuria, in whom the excretory urogram shows severe malfunction of one of the kidneys, and stone disease can be excluded. Renal angiography and cavography as well as CT scan should be carried out in these patients. When the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, an intra-arterial thrombolysis can be attempted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = urinary (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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