Long‐term Results of Conservative and Surgical Management of Blunt Renal Lacerations

Summary— In the management of renal lacerations most attention has centred on surgical or non‐surgical treatment and little attention has been given to the long‐term results. We have evaluated the medical records and radiographs of 70 patients with blunt renal lacerations; 30 had initial non‐surgical management and 40 had initial surgical management. Patients with initial non‐surgical management were followed up for an average of 40.4 months. Normal blood pressure and/or radiological evaluation of the kidney were noted in 22% of those who had non‐surgical management (hypertension in 55%) and in 75% of those who had delayed renal surgery (hypertension in 29%). Patients with immediate surgical management were followed up for an average of 49.6 months and normal blood pressure and/or radiological evaluation of the kidney were present in 83% (no hypertension). On long‐term follow‐up, patients with non‐surgical management had a much higher rate of hypertension and/or abnormal radiological evaluation of the kidney than those with immediate surgical management.