Therapeutic embolization is defined as the voluntary occlusion of one or several vessels, and this is achieved by inserting material into the lumen to obtain transient or permanent thrombosis in the downstream vascular bed. There are a number of indications for this approach in urological practice, in particular for the patients with parenchymatous or vascular kidney disease. In this review, we present the different embolization techniques and the principally employed occluding agents, and then we present the principal clinical indications and we discuss other pathologies that may benefit from this non-invasive therapy. The complications, side effects and main precautions associated with this approach are also described.
Adenocarcinoma/*therapy ; Aneurysm/therapy ; Angiomyolipoma/*therapy ; Embolization, Therapeutic/*methods ; Humans ; Kidney/injuries ; Kidney Diseases/*therapy ; Kidney Neoplasms/*therapy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to set guidelines for the management of renal angiomyolipoma (AML), clinical prognosis according to tumor size, in association with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), multiplicity, radiographic finding, and treatment modality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 1998 and October 2008, 129 out of 254 patients with AML who underwent surgical intervention or angioembolization were enrolled. Diagnosis of AML was determined by the presence of a low attenuated component on CT imaging or by pathological confirmation. Indications of treatment were intractable pain, hematuria, suspicion of malignancy, large tumor size, spontaneous rupture, and radiographically equivocal tumors in which a differential diagnosis was needed to rule out malignancy. Parameters including age, sex, tumor size, multiplicity, radiographic characteristics, association with TSC, and treatment modality were reviewed. RESULTS: Age at presentation was 50.6 years and mean tumor size was 3.5 cm. Presentation symptoms were flank pain, hematuria, spontaneous rupture, and fatigue. 97 (75.2%) patients were incidentally discovered. 100 (77.5%) were females. 68 (52.7%) underwent nephron-sparing surgery (NSS), 35 (27.1%) radical nephrectomy, and 26 (20.2%) angioembolization. TSC was accompanied in 12 (9.3%) patients. No patient developed renal function impairment during the mean follow-up period of 64.8 months. Patients with TSC presented at a younger age, along with larger, bilateral, and multiple lesions. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes were noted in respect to tumor characteristics, association with TSC, and treatment modality. Considering the benign nature of AML, these parameters ought to be considered when deciding upon active surveillance or prophylactic intervention.
Adult ; Angiomyolipoma/*pathology/*surgery/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/*pathology/*surgery/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a new liquid embolic materi-al,Embol, in embolization of the renal artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Embol is a new embolic material obtained by partial hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate mixed in absolute ethanol and Iopromide 370 and manufactured by Schering Korea, Kyonggido, Korea. Six patients who underwent embolization of the renal artery using Embol were evaluated. Four were male and two were female and their ages ranged from 11 to 70 (mean, 53) years. Clinical and radiologic diagnoses referred for renal artery embolization were renal cell carcinoma (n = 3), renal angiomyolipoma (n = 2) and pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery (n = 1). After selective renal angiography, Embol was injected through various catheters, either with or without a balloon occlusion catheter. Changes in symptoms and blood chemistry which may have been related to renal artery embolization with Embol were analyzed. RESULTS: The six patients showed immediate total occlusion of their renal vas-cular lesions. One of the three in whom renal cell carcinoma was embolized with Embol underwent radical nephrectomy, and the specimen thus obtained revealed 40% tumor necrosis. In the two patients with angiomyolipomas, the tumors decreased in size and abdominal pain subsided. Bleeding from pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery was successfully controlled. Four patients showed symptoms of post-embolization syndrome, and one of these also showed increased levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. One patient experienced transient hyperten-sion. CONCLUSION: Embol is easy to use, its radiopacity is adequate and it is a safe and effective embolic material which provides immediate and total occlusion of renal vascular lesions.
Aged ; Aneurysm, False/therapy ; Angiomyolipoma/therapy ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell/therapy ; Child ; *Embolization, Therapeutic ; Ethanol ; Female ; Human ; Iohexol/*analogs & derivatives ; Kidney Neoplasms/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Age ; Polyvinyls/therapeutic use ; *Renal Artery

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnosis and management of renal angiomyolipoma (RAML), and to identify risk factors affecting spontaneous angiomyolipoma rupture.

METHODSThe data of 68 patients with RAML from 1989 to 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were divided in two groups on the basis of tumor size, 35 patients in group A ( 4 cm).

RESULTSSeven patients were identified by image-guided percutaneous biopsy, and no major complications was noted. Sixteen patients with RAML were examined with angiography and 9 of 16 patients had got spontaneous rupture. 41.2% of patients were symptomatic, 4 cases (11.4%) in group A and 24 (72.7%) cases in group B (P < 0.01). There were significant differences in mean tumor size (11.6 cm +/- 5.1 cm vs 5.3 cm +/- 2.9 cm, P < 0.01) and mean aneurysm size (13.6 mm +/- 5.8 mm vs 2.6 mm +/- 3.0 mm, P < 0.01) between 9 cases of the ruptured tumor and 59 cases of unruptured tumor, 9 cases of the ruptured and 7 cases of unruptured tumor with angiography, respectively. Treatment consisted of conservative observation in 10 patients (no radiographic changes during the follow-up of 2 - 7 years); partial nephrectomy in 14 patients, tumor enucleation in 30 patients, total nephrectomy in 14 and posterior laparoscopic nephrectomy in 3 (no recurrence and complication correlation to operation during the follow-up of 2 - 144 months).

CONCLUSIONSIt is an important role that percutaneous biopsy guided by ultrasonography or computerized tomography performs in managing suspicious and/or indeterminate RAML. A higher probability of rupture is related to tumor and/or aneurysms size. Nephron-sparing surgery is the first choice for surgical treatment of RAML.

Adolescent ; Aged ; Angiomyolipoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; methods ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

PURPOSE: The renal manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are remarkably diverse, including polycystic kidney disease, simple renal cysts, renal cell carcinomas, and angiomyolipomas. All of these occur in children as well as adults in TSC. Angiomyolipomas, which can cause spontaneous life-threatening hemorrhages, are by far the most prevalent and the greatest source of morbidity. Here, we will address our experience, adding to the literature on pediatric patients with TSC requiring evaluation and treatment for renal manifestations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made on 19 patients in whom TSC was diagnosed between May 2001 and Oct. 2005 at Severance Hospital. All patients had clinical diagnoses of TSC as defined by the 1998 tuberous sclerosis complex consensus conference. RESULTS: The patients consisted of 13 boys and 6 girls with a mean age of 7.3 years (range 1 to 22). The renal disease associated with TSC included angiomyolipoma in nine patients (47.4 percent), renal simple cyst in one (5.3 percent), hydronephrosis in one (5.3 percent) patient. Eight patients (42.1 percent) presented with normal kidney contours at abdominal ultrasonography. One patient underwent renal replacement therapy due to chronic renal insufficiency after nephrectomy. Hemorrhage from angiomyolipoma was not detected. CONCLUSION: In our review of 19 cases of TSC, renal manifestations are reported in 57.9 percent of patients. Asymptomatic angiomyolipoma associated with TSC grow gradually, although severe hemorrhages are rare. So patients with TSC should be followed up with serial computerized tomography or abdominal ultrasonography. And also, renal function should be monitored conservatively.
Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Child ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Nephrectomy ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberous Sclerosis* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo initially explore the clinical effect of cool-tip radiofrequency ablation combined with enucleation for the giant hamartoma of kidney with narrow base and export-oriented way of growth.

METHODSThe clinical date of 15 patients including 6 male and 9 female with special hamartoma of kidney underwent cool-tip radiofrequency ablation assisted enucleation from July 2011 to October 2014 were reviewed.The median age was 49 years (ranging from 35 to 71 years). There were 6 cases with left renal tumor, 8 cases with right renal tumor and 1 case with solitary kidney tumor.All patients were confirmed by B ultrasound or CT scan, the mean diameter of hamartoma of kidney was 9.7 cm(8.5-12.7)cm, all tumors were located distant from the collecting system and presents with a special way of growth.The preoperative hemoglobin was (129±18)g/L, SCr was (92±41)μmol/L, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was (32±12)ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2).

RESULTSCool-tip radiofrequency ablation assisted enucleation was technically successful in all patients.The mean operative duration was (115±31)minutes, and the average intraoperative bleeding was (72±21)ml with no blooding transfusion.The postoperative hospital stay was(7±2)days, and the postoperative hemoglobin was(129±18)g/L, SCr (92±41)μmol/L, GFR(30±15)ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2). No statistic change of hemoglobin and SCr or glomerular filtration rate after operations(all P>0.05). Postoperative pathology showed that all cases were hamartoma of kidney.During a mean follow-up period of 19.5 months, none of them had local tumor recurrence or chronic renal insufficiency.

CONCLUSIONSCool-tip radiofrequency ablation assisted enucleation is both safe and effective in the treatment of huge hamartoma of kidney with a narrow base and export-oriented way of growth. The short-term follow-up shows a satisfactory therapeutic effect.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiomyolipoma ; surgery ; Blood Transfusion ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; surgery ; Length of Stay ; Lipoma ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Postoperative Period ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transarterial nephrectomy, i.e., complete renal artery embolization, as an alternative to surgical nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 11 patients who underwent transarterial nephrectomy due to a high risk of surgical nephrectomy or their refusal to undergo surgery during the period from April 2002 to February 2013. Medical records and radiographic images were reviewed retrospectively to collect information regarding underlying etiologies, clinical presentations and embolization outcomes. RESULTS: The underlying etiologies for transarterial nephrectomy included recurrent hematuria (chronic transplant rejection [n = 3], arteriovenous malformation or fistula [n = 3], angiomyolipoma [n = 1], or end-stage renal disease [n = 1]), inoperable renal or ureteral injury (n = 2), and ectopic kidney with urinary incontinence (n = 1). The technical success rate was 100%, while clinical success was achieved in eight patients (72.7%). Subsequent surgical nephrectomy was required for three patients due to an incomplete nephrectomy effect (n = 2) or necrotic pyelonephritis (n = 1). Procedure-related complications were post-infarction syndrome in one patient and necrotic pyelonephritis in another patient. Of four patients with follow-up CT, four showed renal atrophy and two showed partial renal enhancement. No patient developed a procedure-related hypertension. CONCLUSION: Transarterial nephrectomy may be a safe and effective alternative to surgical nephrectomy in patients with high operative risks.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiomyolipoma/therapy ; Arteriovenous Malformations/therapy ; Child ; Embolization, Therapeutic/adverse effects/*methods ; Female ; Graft Rejection/therapy ; Hematuria/etiology ; Humans ; Infarction/etiology ; Kidney/blood supply ; Kidney Diseases/surgery/*therapy ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/therapy ; Kidney Neoplasms/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy/adverse effects/*methods ; *Renal Artery/abnormalities ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiomyolipoma ; etiology ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; therapeutic use ; Astrocytoma ; etiology ; Brain Neoplasms ; etiology ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; etiology ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Sirolimus ; therapeutic use ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Tuberous Sclerosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism