Delayed bleeding after partial nephrectomy. Management with selective embolization

Abstract Introduction Bleeding after partial nephrectomy can be immediate or delayed and may have severe consequences. The incidence of this complication is low. The most frequent cause of delayed bleeding is arterial pseudoaneurysm. Superselective embolization is a feasible therapeutic option that has shown good results. Objective To evaluate treatment and outcomes of delayed bleeding in our series of patients with partial nephrectomy. Material and methods We performed a retrospective study of our database of partial nephrectomies. Patients who developed delayed bleeding (after discharge) were identified. Clinical histories were reviewed and data on presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes were analyzed. Results Among our series of patients undergoing partial nephrectomy, three developed delayed bleeding (1.3%). Symptom onset occurred 17–25 days after surgery and consisted of hematuria or lumbar pain. Diagnosis was provided through ultrasound, abdominal computed tomography and renal angiography. In all three patients, a complicated pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed and all patients underwent renal artery catheterization with selective renal artery embolization. In all patients, immediate control of bleeding was achieved. Outcome after a follow-up of 61–92 months was favorable. Conclusions Selective vascular embolization is the treatment of choice of renal pseudoaneurysm after partial nephrectomy in hemodynamically stable patients.