What is a renal infarction?
A renal infarction is the loss of renal tissue. A renal infarction occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the kidney and as a result the kidney can no longer be supplied with sufficient oxygen. If the circulatory disorder is not corrected immediately, the kidney tissue perishes.
A leading symptom is colicky flank pain. Depending on the extent of the infarction, a complete renal infarction is distinguished from a partial renal infarction. Nowadays, kidney infarctions rarely occur due to good preventive measures. If a kidney infarction is detected in time, it can be treated well and severe consequences are avoidable.
Causes of a renal infarction
Embolisms and thromboses are the main causes of renal infarction. Most frequently, embolisms trigger renal infarctions. An embolus (vessel plug) usually comes from the heart and gets stuck in a small renal artery, clogging the vessel.
There are various ways in which an embolus can develop. It can be formed in the left atrium of the heart during atrial fibrillation. If there is a bacterial inflammation of the inner skin of the heart (endocarditis), deposits on the heart wall can become detached and form clots, especially in the left ventricle.
In addition to the heart, the aorta can also be the origin of the embolus. In the widespread disease arteriosclerosis (calcification of the blood vessels), vascular plasty can become detached and block the renal vessels. A renal infarction can also be caused by a renal artery thrombosis. Risk factors for thrombosis are changes in the vessel walls, blood flow and blood composition. The blood clot that blocks the renal artery during renal artery thrombosis is formed locally and can trigger a kidney infarction via the thrombosis.
Symptoms of a renal infarction
The symptoms of a renal infarction can be very different. The leading symptom of a kidney infarction is sudden, severe flank pain. The pain is often colicky, which means that the pain occurs at intervals.
The pain comes very quickly and very strongly, disappears suddenly and returns violently. The pain can be accompanied by outbreaks of sweating, nausea and circulation problems. In addition to nausea, vomiting and severe abdominal pain may also occur, especially if larger kidney areas are affected.
In the following days, macrohaematuria may develop. This means that the but is visible in the urine. If the kidney infarction remains unnoticed and untreated, a deteriorated kidney function can occur.
Symptoms of this are an altered urine, which is darker or lighter or decreases in quantity. It can happen that you have to go to the toilet very often and only urinate a little. Nocturnal urge to urinate and blood in the urine can occur.
However, 25% of all renal infarctions remain without any symptoms and are therefore difficult to diagnose early. The severe flank pain, which is often colicky, is a leading symptom and an important sign of a kidney infarction. Nausea, abdominal pain and difficulty urinating can also indicate kidney disease and must be thoroughly examined. Blood in the urine is a serious symptom and should always be clarified by a doctor.
