Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To provide data on the safety and efficacy of renal arterial embolization (RAE) in patients with high-grade blunt renal injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with high-grade blunt renal injury (AAST grades IV-V) admitted to our hospital from July 2014 to December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Their clinical success rate and complications were investigated accordingly. RESULTS: Fifteen patients with high-grade blunt renal injury, 13 men and 2 women with an average age of 41.6 years, including 11 hemodynamically unstable patients and 4 stable patients, were treated with RAE. Among these patients, 73.3% (11 of 15) had grade IV, and 26.7% (4 of 15) had grade V injuries, while 53.3% (8 of 15) patients had concomitant injuries. One patient received main RAE and 14 patients received selective RAE. The clinical success rate after the first embolization was 93.3% (14 of 15). RAE was repeated and was successfully performed in one patient with sustained hematuria. No significant difference in creatinine levels was found before and after embolization. During the follow-up period of 2-82 months, two patients required tube drainage due to urine leaks, one patient developed renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy, and one patient developed secondary hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: RAE can provide a high success rate of hemostasis for both hemodynamically stable and unstable patients with high-grade blunt renal injury, and only minor complications are observed with this procedure.