Overview

Renal artery embolism is a serious medical condition that can be life-threatening. It occurs when a blood clot forms in the renal artery and blocks blood flow to the kidneys. This can also cause your kidney to leak waste products into your urine. In extreme cases, the waste products can be so high that they can damage the surrounding tissue. This article will discuss renal artery blockage and how it is treated.

What is Renal Artery Embolism?

Renal artery blockage(or embolism) is a type of blood clot that forms in your kidney (renal) arteries. The clot may be in the main artery (the large, long blood vessels that carry blood supply from the heart to your kidneys).

Renal artery thrombosis or embolism is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. It often occurs in patients with atrial fibrillation or other cardiovascular risk factors and is also responsible for kidney ischemia.

What Causes Renal Artery Embolism?

The most common cause of renal artery blockage is an underlying condition such as

RAE is commonly seen in people with atrial fibrillation. But other factors may lead to renal artery embolism, such as

- Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Valvular Disease

It is prudent to note here that RAE develops in case of peripheral embolism of cardiac thrombus.

Other causes include pregnancy, inflammatory bowel disease, and atherosclerosis. Renal artery occlusions can occur from many different causes, including trauma, blood clots getting stuck in arteries, thereby blocking blood flow, and pieces of plaque from the walls of the arteries coming loose and blocking the blood flow. They can occlude the main artery or one of its smaller branches.

Other conditions that can cause a renal artery blockage include narrowing of the main artery, intimal fibroplasia, and sickling of red blood cells. Intimal fibroplasia is rare but can cause damage to the glomerulus and tubules and lead to kidney failure.

What Are The Symptoms of Renal Artery Embolism?

The first symptoms and early signs of renal artery blockage are anuria, a loss of urine production, and abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea.

Other symptoms include:

- Fever
- Weight loss
- Blood pressure changes
- Abdominal or flank pain
- Less urine release
- Nausea
- Blood released in urine
- Vomiting
- Acute renal artery thrombosis can cause kidney failure, which is typically traumatic.

Symptoms usually start suddenly, including pain, nausea, vomiting, and low blood pressure.

Your healthcare provider will perform an imaging test to see if there is a clot in your renal arteries. This will help identify the clot and determine how severe it is.

How is Renal Artery Embolism Diagnosed?

A mild blockage may affect the kidney's ability to filter waste products, while a complete blockage can lead to permanent kidney failure. The diagnosis is based on renal function tests, imaging, and laboratory tests for coagulation status.

A diagnosis of renal artery blockage is made by angiography or imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRIs. This is followed by a blood test to check for kidney function and a urinalysis to look for any signs of kidney damage.

- CT Scan - A CT scan helps doctors get a detailed view of the kidney and abdomen. It helps them detect tumours, kidney stones, swelling, and infections.
- MRI - This test is used to view the kidney structure. It helps doctors to detect any bleeding or tumours inside the kidney’s structure.
- Urinalysis - One way to check for renal embolism is through urinalysis. This test measures the levels of certain chemicals in your urine and can help determine if there is an obstruction or blockage in your urinary system. If you experience any unusual symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
- Venography - This is a very accurate test that helps determine if you have this condition and can save your life if detected early. This procedure uses dyes and x-rays to image the kidney and any blockages or obstructions in blood flow. If there is an obstruction or a problem with the kidney itself, venography will reveal this.

Treatment For Renal Artery Embolism

Treating a renal artery blockage usually focuses on preventing further complications, such as a kidney attack and reversing any damage already done to the kidney.

Medications

Medications are used to prevent further blockages in the arteries. It also helps in dissolving the clots which are responsible for kidney blockage. These medications include anticoagulants and thrombolytic medications such as beta-blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE). In some cases, medications such as heparin or warfarin may be used to prevent further artery blockages.

Surgery

If one has a renal artery blockage problem, one must refer to a clot removal surgical procedure. It involves the fragmentation of clot formation with the help of a catheter.

When to Consult a Doctor

You can also get in touch with the expert Nephrology doctors at Narayana Healthcare based in your city to get immediate attention and medical support during an injury, disorder or any other health concern.

Conclusion

This article has provided an overview of renal artery embolism and its treatment options. While it is a serious medical condition, it can be treated successfully with early diagnosis and treatment.

References

- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2324140/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/stent-blood-clot#procedure
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pulmonary-embolism/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354653