Spontaneous renal artery thrombosis: A rare cause of acute flank pain

Abstract

Spontaneous renal artery thrombosis is a rare cause of flank pain and can have fatal consequences. We report a case of acute renal artery thrombosis in a 61-year-old man who experienced flank pain and had no medical history. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed total thrombotic occlusion of the left renal artery. The patient was taken to interventional radiology, and an urgent catheter-directed thrombolysis of the renal artery was performed. The procedure was successful, with the subsequent arteriogram demonstrating a substantial decrease of the thrombus extent and the recanalization of the left renal artery. This case highlights that emergency renal artery thrombolysis is an effective and safe treatment for acute occlusion of the renal artery.