Diagnosis and treatment of renal angiomyolipoma (based on 15 cases). Arguments in favor of conservative surgery (based on 8 cases).

Angiomyolipoma should be suspected when a renal tumor is present especially when the patient is young, the tumor is bilateral, associated with hemorrhagic incidents or if there are multiple tumors in one kidney. When tuberous sclerosis is present the diagnosis is easier and when it is not, arteriography and tomodensitometry are of great help. The benign nature of these tumors is not an argument in favor of nonsurgical treatment. They may sometimes be associated with an authentic malignancy which underlines the necessity of confirming the diagnosis by peroperative examination of a frozen section. When angiomyolipoma is confirmed the surgical treatment of this benign tumor should, in our opinion, be conservative considering the frequency of bilateral disease. This approach is supported by the results published and by our own 8 cases treated by conservative surgery.