Idiopathic Retroperitoneal Fibrosis: A Retrospective Review of Clinical Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes

Abstract

In this cohort, outcomes such as end-stage renal disease or death from renal failure were not observed. Relapses may occur, and patients with IRF warrant long-term follow-up.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis misinterpreted as an abdominal aortic aneurysm on ultrasound

“…CT scanning allows assessment of disease extent and affect on adjacent organs 3. In a study of 185 patients with RPF 8% were treated with ureteral stenting, 31% with medication (corticosteroids or tamoxifen) and 57% of patients with both 2. In this series, creatinine levels normalised in 68% of cases, and no patients developed end-stage renal failure.…”

“…β-blockers, methysergide, methyldopa) 1. The commonest presenting symptoms of RPF are abdominal pain (38%) or back pain (40%) 2. The diagnosis of RPF is often delayed because patients are asymptomatic or symptoms are masked by concomitant disease 3.…”

Retroperitoneal fibrosis – the state-of-the-art

“…Less frequently reported symptoms related to compression of the retroperitoneally located lymphatic vessels and veins include swelling and deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs, scrotal swelling, testicular pain, varicocele and hydrocele. Entrapment of arteries can result in renovascular hypertension, intermittent claudication or intestinal ischemia [12, 17, 18, 23, 38]. …”

“…Physical examination adds little to the diagnosis. Sometimes lumbar or abdominal tenderness is present, and very rarely a fibrous mass can be felt through the abdominal wall [12, 13, 17]. …”

“…The most frequent and, at the same time, the most severe complication is hydronephrosis, due to ureteral obstruction, which is found in 47–100% of patients [1]. In over 50% of cases, it has a bilateral character [1, 12]. …”