Renal Injuries - Symptoms And Diagnostics

The authors present the classification, symptoms and diagnostic methods of renal injuries. These injuries can be life-threatening, but most of them are mild and can be managed conservatively. No less than 75% patients who were diagnosed with renal injuries are men. The group which is particularly exposed to renal injuries are young men doing sports, the injured of road accidents, victims of accidents in the house or at work, victims of fights and assaults. The results of conducted studies indicate that haematuria, pain and ecchymosis in the lumbar region, fractured ribs as well as abdominal mass can be the symptoms of renal injury. There are blunt and penetrating renal injuries as well as a 5-level classification of kidney injuries according to a degree of injuries - AAST. This classification enables to perform a standardization of different patient groups to choose a proper therapy and to predict the results of treatment. The mechanism of injury, its placement and severity are the standard guidelines within a choice of diagnostic methods and indications for treatment's strategy. The imaging examinations are necessary in diagnostics of abdomen injuries with a suspicion of renal injury. Among the imaging examinations used in diagnostics of injuries of urogenital system and renal injuries it is to enumerate: ultrasonography, computed tomography, urography, arteriography and angiography. Computed tomography of abdomen with contrast injected into an intravenous line is a gold standard in diagnostics of renal injuries. If computed tomography is not available, it is recommended to perform ultrasonography as an examination of first choice.