A conservative approach to the management of blunt renal trauma. Results of a follow-up study.

Forty patients with abnormal radiological findings after blunt renal trauma are presented. A conservative approach to treatment led to only 3 nephrectomies in patients with renal pedicle injury and to surgery in another 4 patients; in only one case was the function of the injured kidney reduced. At follow-up 1 to 5 years later, 4 patients had mild subjective symptoms but the objective findings were few and insignificant. However, since serious sequelae (e.g. hypertension) may follow renal trauma, we suggest that these patients should be seen one year after injury for clinical examination, including renography and measurement of blood pressure.