Tumor Embolism as a Cause of Renal Artery Occlusion and Acute Kidney Injury Diagnosed and Treated with Endovascular Intervention in a Patient with Mediastinal Undifferentiated Sarcoma

Abstract

A 72-year-old man presented with back pain due to a mass in the left posterior mediastinum that had surrounded and partly infiltrated the descending aorta. Mediastinal undifferentiated sarcoma was diagnosed. After the diagnosis, sudden anuria was observed. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed an enhancement defect at the origins of the bilateral renal arteries. He received catheter-directed thrombolysis and was weaned off dialysis. The aspirated artery thrombus contained tumor cells, proving our diagnosis of acute kidney injury secondary to bilateral renal artery tumor embolism. In cancer patients, endovascular intervention may be a useful diagnostic and therapeutic option in cases of acute kidney injury secondary caused by peripheral thromboembolic complications.