Injuries to the Upper Urogenital Tract

Traumatic injury to the upper urinary tract usually results from multisystem trauma. The kidney is the most commonly injured urologic organ and accounts for nearly one quarter of all solid-organ traumatic injuries. Ureteral injuries are difficult to diagnose and must be suspected based on the mechanism of injury. These injuries, although rarely fatal, may result in significant morbidity and permanent disability if not promptly evaluated and treated. Modern urologic trauma management with rapid computed tomography and a focus on nonoperative management have dramatically changed the field of urologic trauma. Additionally, improvement in angiography and selective embolization allows treatment of active arterial or delayed renal bleeding. Although fewer injuries require operative management, exploration is still required for hemodynamically unstable patients. Key words: kidney injury, kidney trauma, upper urinary tract trauma, ureteral injury, ureteral trauma