Clinical Characteristics and Management of Renal Trauma: A Single-centre Observational Study

Introduction: The management of renal trauma includes operative and non operative approach based on clinical profile of patient. However, management of the high-grade renal trauma remains controversial. Aim: To evaluate mode of renal injury, staging and its management outcomes. Materials and Methods: This prospective, observational study included 49 patients (>15 years of age) who presented with abdominal trauma. Computed tomography was performed for grading of renal trauma. The patients were stratified based on whether they underwent open renal surgery or conservative management for their renal injury. Demographic characteristics and a detailed history of renal injuries were recorded. The patients were evaluated based on the rate of renal preservation and complications at 6-month follow-up. Results: The mean age was 32.10 years and majority of the patients were males (87.76%). Blunt trauma (95.92%) was most frequently reported. According to American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST), 8 (16.33%) patients were categorized in grade I, 17 (34.69%) patients in grade II, 8 (16.33%) patients in grade III, 12 (24.49%) patients in grade IV, and 4 (8.16%) patients in grade V. Microscopic haematuria (42.86%) was the most common clinical presentation. The majority of the patients were managed conservatively (89.8%). Only two belonging to grade 4 and three from grade 5 were managed operatively due to haemodynamic instability. Rib fractures (n=10) were the most frequently associated injury, and Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) (n=8) was the most common complication, followed by persistent haematuria (n=3), and hypertension (n=3). All patients with grades I to III showed 100% renal preservation rate with conservative management. However, patients with grades IV and V showed renal preservation rate of 83.33% and 50%, respectively. Conclusion: Conservative treatment is a preferred choice of treatment in the most of the renal trauma. The present study reported high renal preservation rate in low-grade renal injuries, which were managed conservatively. However, there is still need of surgical treatment in high grade haemodynamically unstable patients.