Can J Urol
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Renal trauma is reported in 3% of trauma patients. The majority (>90%) are due to blunt mechanisms of injury. Minor renal injuries pose few management difficulties and the majority are managed expectantly. More serious injuries are potentially life threatening and have been historically managed by operative intervention with repair of the injured kidney when possible. More recently, there has been a trend towards non-operative management of all solid intra-abdominal organ injury including renal trauma. The purpose of this study was to review a 7-year experience in renal trauma at a provincial trauma centre and to define management practices along with patient and organ outcomes in severe renal injury. ⋯ Blunt renal trauma managed conservatively is associated with few complications in the hemodynamically stable patient. Grade V injuries still result in a nephrectomy rate of 90.9% with hemodynamic instability the indication in 100% of patients.