Health Encyclopedia

Renal vein thrombosis

Definition

Renal vein thrombosis is a blood clot that develops in the vein that drains blood from the kidney.

Alternative Names

Clot in the renal vein; Occlusion - renal vein

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Renal vein thrombosis is a fairly uncommon situation that may happen after trauma to the abdomen or back, or it may occur due to:

Scar formation
Stricture
Tumor

It may be associated with nephrotic syndrome.

In some children, it occurs after severe dehydration and is a more serious condition than in adults. Dehydration is the most common cause of renal vein thrombosis in infants.

Symptoms

Signs and tests

An examination may not reveal the specific problem, but may indicate nephrotic syndrome or other causes of renal vein thrombosis.

Abdominal CT scan, abdominal MRI, or abdominal ultrasound may show obstruction of the renal vein
Urinalysis may show large quantities of protein in the urine, or red blood cells in the urine
X-ray of the kidney veins (venography) may show renal vein thrombosis.

Treatment

The treatment is focused on preventing new clot formations and reducing the risk of the clot traveling to other locations in the body (embolization).

You may get medications that prevent blood clotting (anticoagulants) to stop new clots from forming. Your doctor may recommend bedrest or limited activity for a brief period.

Expectations (prognosis)

Renal vein thrombosis usually gets better over time without permanently injuring the kidneys.

Complications

Acute renal failure (if thrombosis occurs in a dehydrated child)
Embolization of the blood clot to the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
Formation of new blood clots

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of renal vein thrombosis.

If you have experienced renal vein thrombosis, call your health care provider if you develop decreased urine output, difficulty breathing, or other new symptoms.

Prevention

There is no specific prevention for renal vein thrombosis. Maintaining fluids in the body to avoid dehydration may help to reduce its risk.

Review Date:11/12/2007
Reviewed By:Charles Silberberg, D.O., Private Practice specializing in Nephrology, Affiliated with NY Medical College, Division of Nephrology, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

ADAM Quality A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.