Penetrating Renal Trauma: Nonoperative Management is Safe in Selected Patients

Present literature seems to support the nonoperative management of penetrating renal trauma although data remain limited. We conducted a nine-year retrospective review of nonoperative versusoperative management and mechanism of injury [stab wound (SW) versusgunshot wound (GSW)] among patients admitted with penetrating renal trauma. Of 203 patients, the median age was 24 years, with the majority being male and having GSW injuries. More than half (52.2%) were treated nonoperatively (69.9% of SW and 40% of GSW injured patients). When compared with all operative patients combined, nonoperative patients had a lower median Injury Severity Score (17 vs26, P< 0.001), lower transfusion requirement (27.4% vs77.3%, P< 0.001), shorter median hospital stay (4.7 vs12.6 days, P< 0.001), and lower mortality (1.9% vs13.4%, P= 0.002). Gunshot wound patients had a higher median Injury Severity Score (26 vs14, P< 0.001), higher median American Association for the Surgery of Trauma-Organ Injury Score (3 vs2, P= 0.001), greater need for transfusion (69.2% vs29.3%, P< 0.001), longer median hospital length of stay (12.1 vs3.9 days, P< 0.001), and greater mortality (12.5% vs0%, P< 0.001) than SW patients. Nonoperative management of penetrating renal injury is safe in selected patients. In addition, renal GSW injuries are associated with a greater morbidity and mortality.