Transcatheter embolization of an isolated lumbar arterial bleeding complicating radical nephrectomy for renal infarction with infected perirenal haematoma.

Lumbar arterial bleedings are rare but potentially life threatening. We report a case of an isolated right lumbar arterial bleeding after radical nephrectomy for renal infarction with infected perirenal haematoma. The diagnosis was suggested by computed tomography and confirmed with angiography. Definitive treatment of this vascular injury was obtained after percutaneous transcatheter embolization of the fourth right lumbar artery. General anaesthesia, further blood loss due to difficult surgical dissection, or even failure to find and ligate the injured artery, especially in redo-operations, can be avoided by this minimal invasive procedure. Endovascular embolization of a lumbar artery injured after radical nephrectomy might be a valuable treatment alternative in patients with postoperative retroperitoneal bleeding.