Abstract
Background
Renal artery aneurysm (RAA) is defined as a focal dilatation of ≥50% of the adjacent,
disease-free artery. Although typically asymptomatic, RAA can lead to hypertension,
hematuria, and rupture. The risk of rupture is higher in pregnant patients and may
result in the death of the mother and the fetus. We describe a case of RAA discovered
on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the emergency department.
Case Report
A 46-year-old woman with no medical history presented to the emergency department
with lower abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased urination. POCUS was
performed to evaluate the cause of the patient's symptoms. This study revealed a 2.40
cm × 3.65 cm aneurysm in the right kidney.
Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?
Rupture of RAA occurs in 3% to 5% of cases. Mortality to both the mother and the fetus
is particularly high in gravid patients. RAA may be mistaken for other renal entities
such as prominent renal veins or hydronephrosis. Properly identifying this pathology
via POCUS can lead to early intervention. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 13, 2022
Accepted:
May 9,
2022
Received in revised form:
April 27,
2022
Received:
January 25,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
