Urinary tract injuries happen in approximately 8-10% of all abdominal trauma patients. Kidney is the most frequently injured organ in the urinary tract with penetrating or blunt trauma, and, if not suitable care is carried out, it may lead to morbidity and mortality. The most important laboratory tests are urinalysis, haematocrit and creatinine for evaluating renal trauma. Hematuria is often seen as microscopic or gross, but it is not enough to differentiate the condition between minor and major injuries. The management of kidney trauma has always been and will always be controversial. Conservative (follow-up) and aggressive (surgical) approach both have their proponents. The conservative management of blunt kidney trauma was first suggested in the first half of the 1900s. Since then, it has been reported that the utilities of this approach have become gradually decreased in terms of rate of nephrectomy, complications, and hospital stay. This approach has gained popularity in penetrating kidney trauma cases especially after the 1980s. Nowadays, conservative management is usually favoured, even in the case of grade IV / V traumas. In addition to this, while many studies have shown the conservative approach to be successful, surgical treatment is used only in appropriate cases in grade V injuries. In this survey, relevant articles and guidelines published between 2000 and 2014 have been reviewed, retrospectively. We aim to review the literature and suggest advices regarding conservative and surgical management of renal trauma.
Key words: Kidney Injury; Renal Trauma; Management; Renal Surgery.
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