Renal failure and mortality after nephrectomy for severe trauma in multiply-injured patient: no inordinate risk.

It was recently reported that renal loss by partial or total nephrectomy for renal trauma increases the rates of acute renal failure and death in the multiply-injured patient. Because our preference has been for immediate surgical intervention in such patients, a retrospective review was performed to ascertain the effect of partial or total nephrectomy. Eighty-eight patients met the criteria of multiple injuries including severe renal injuries (laceration, rupture, or pedicle injury) and availability of renal function data. Partial or total nephrectomy had been performed in 50 patients, renorrhaphy in 23, and 15 were managed without renal operation. In patients with renal lacerations, the numbers of associated injuries (including intra-abdominal injuries) were similar to those managed conservatively or by operation, and the rates of acute renal failure and mortality were the same with conservative management, renorrhaphy, or nephrectomy. Patients with renal pedicle injuries who had a nephrectomy did have a higher rate of acute renal failure than those managed conservatively (75% vs 0%; p less than 0.05), but they also had more associated injuries (2.8 vs. 1.6/patient; p less than 0.04) and they were older. These two factors, rather than the nephrectomy, probably accounted for the greater rates of acute renal failure and death.