Renal infarction due to spontaneous dissection of the renal artery: an unusual cause of non-visceral type abdominal pain

Abstract

SUMMARYA 44-year-old man presented with very severe right upper quadrant pain of sudden onset. This was exacerbated by movement but unaffected by food or defaecation. It was continuous-day and night -but resolved over a 1-week period. The physical examination was normal at presentation, by which time the pain had resolved. His white cell count, alanine transaminase and C reactive protein were elevated but normalised after 10 days. An abdominal CT showed low density lesions in the right kidney consistent with segmental infarcts. CT angiogram showed a dissection of the right renal artery. The patient remained asymptomatic and normotensive when reviewed 1 month later. BACKGROUND