Catheter occlusion of a mycotic renal artery aneurysm with cure of associated renovascular hypertension

Mycotic Renal Artery Aneurysm Presenting as Critical Limb Ischemia in Culture-Negative Endocarditis

Mycotic renal artery aneurysms are rare and can be difficult to diagnose. Classic symptoms such as hematuria, hypertension, or abdominal pain can be vague or nonexistent. We report a case of a 53-year-old woman with a history of intravenous drug abuse presenting with critical limb ischemia, in which CT angiography identified a mycotic renal aneurysm. This aneurysm tripled in size from 0.46 cm to 1.65 cm in a 3-week interval. Echocardiography demonstrated aortic valve vegetations leading to a diagnosis of culture-negative endocarditis. The patient underwent primary resection and repair of the aneurysm, aortic valve replacement, and left below-knee amputation after bilateral common iliac and left superficial femoral artery stenting. At 1-year follow-up, her serum creatinine is stable and repaired artery remains patent.

Renal vascular lesions: diagnosis and endovascular management

Renal vascular abnormalities included in this review are renal artery aneurysms (RAA) and renal arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The clinical presentation, diagnosis, and principles of management with emphasis on endovascular techniques are discussed.

Transcatheter arterial embolization in patients with kidney diseases: an overview of the technical aspects and clinical indications

Therapeutic embolization is defined as the voluntary occlusion of one or several vessels, and this is achieved by inserting material into the lumen to obtain transient or permanent thrombosis in the downstream vascular bed. There are a number of indications for this approach in urological practice, in particular for the patients with parenchymatous or vascular kidney disease. In this review, we present the different embolization techniques and the principally employed occluding agents, and then we present the principal clinical indications and we discuss other pathologies that may benefit from this non-invasive therapy. The complications, side effects and main precautions associated with this approach are also described.

[Role of percutaneous arterial embolization in renal pathology]

Therapeutic embolization in renal pathology is used for various conditions in cancerology, traumatology, urology, nephrology and for iatrogenic complications of percutaneous manoeuvers. Any department of vascular radiology may be requested to use this technique, especially in emergent traumatology or palliative cancerology. The authors study the various conditions that may benefit from these procedures and give the highlights of the main indications and the main types of embolic agents used. Complications, side effects and the major precautions are also reviewed.

Renal artery mycotic pseudoaneurysm: diagnosis with multi-detector computed tomographic angiography

Renal artery mycotic pseudoaneurysms are uncommon complications of bacterial endocarditis and bacteremia. Complications include hemorrhage and refractory bacteremia, and prompt diagnosis can lead to appropriate treatment. Reported is a case where multidetector computed tomography angiography led to the correct diagnosis.

Intraparenchymal renal artery aneurysms. Case report with review and update of the literature

Increased interest in aneurysms involving the renal artery and its branches has occurred during the past 3 decades. The prevalence of renal artery aneurysms is approximately 0.01%-1% in the general population as well as 2.5% in hypertensive patients undergoing angiography. Intraparenchymal renal artery aneurysms (IPRAAs) are rare since being detected in less than 10% of patients with renal artery aneurysms. The Authors report an unusual case of multiple small intrarenal artery aneurysms associated with a large IPRAA located in the mid portion of the right kidney. Usually, IPRAAs are secondary to diseases or injuries of the kidney vascular network. They are classified as true, false, saccular, fusiform, dissecting, and microaneurysms. Potential complications of IPRAAs include peripheral dissection, thrombosis, hypertension, renal infarction and rupture. IRAAs may be detected incidentally as well as present with urologic symptoms and signs related to complications. Actually, IRAAs are investigated by non invasive modalities including duplex ultrasound, magnetic resonance angiography, spiral three-dimensional computed tomography angiography, and three-dimensional reconstructed rotational digital substraction angiography of the segmental and distant branches of the renal artery. Angiography with intrarterial injection of contrast material is the gold standard in diagnosing IPRAAs. Treatment options for IPRAAs include observation, aneurysmectomy with surgical repair, endovascular procedures, nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy. Observation is indicated for asymptomatic intraparenchymal renal artery aneurysms measuring less than 2 cm in diameter. Surgical repair of IPRAAs includes aneurysmectomy and reconstruction of the renal artery by in vivo or ex vivo technique. The procedure is indicated for IPRAAs causing renovascular hypertension, dissection, urologic symptoms, embolization, local expansion and women of childbearing age with a potential for pregnancy. In recent years, transcatheter arterial embolization has emerged as a simple, useful and effective technique in managing IRAAs. The procedure is performed by transfemoral catheterization as well as by superselective catheterization and embolization of interlobar arteries with 3F microcatheters. Endovascular occlusion is obtained by using gelatin sponge, steel coils, detachable baloons, and conventional non-detachable microcoils delivered through a microcatheter. Nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy are reserved for conditions precluding renal revascularization which include overt RAA rupture, covert RAA rupture, artery-to-vein fistula, renal cell carcinoma, end stage nephropaty, renal infarction, severe ischemic renal atrophy or complex intrarenal aneurysms. Recently, partial nephrectomy by the laparoscopic approach has been proposed for managing IPRAAs and the procedure is considered feasible and safe.

Massive hematuria due to right renal artery mycotic pseudoaneurysm in a patient with subacute bacterial endocarditis

A 40-year-old woman with recently diagnosed bacterial endocarditis was admitted to the hospital with gross hematuria and anemia. Computed tomography revealed a large right upper pole renal artery pseudoaneurysm, a wedge-shaped hypoperfused region of the left kidney, and a splenic abscess. Radiographic embolization of the right renal artery was performed to stabilize the bleeding. The splenic abscess was drained. Subsequent right nephrectomy and splenectomy were performed for persistent leukocytosis. This unusual presentation of a septic embolus and its management are discussed.

Covered stent for renal artery aneurysm

This is a case of a 51-year-old female with difficult-to-control hypertension and a 3-cm renal artery aneurysm. Successful exclusion of this was performed using a prefabricated stent graft. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a prefabricated covered stent for this indication.