Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Renal vein thrombosis

Table of Contents

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 an uncommon disorder that may be caused by:

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm
  • Clotting disorders
  • Dehydration (mostly in infants)
  • Estrogen use
  • Nephrotic syndrome
  • Pregnancy
  • Scar formation with pressure on the renal vein
  • Trauma (to the back or abdomen)
  • Tumor

In adults, the most common cause is nephrotic syndrome. In infants, the most common cause is dehydration.


Review Date: 06/08/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Herbert Y Lin, MD, PhD, Nephrologist, Massachusetts General Hospital; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)