How To Treat And Manage Renal Vein Thrombosis

Surgery

Surgery used to be the primary mode of treatment for renal vein thrombosis but has since been replaced by more conservative treatments like medication. Surgical removal of the blood clot is still possible but is seldom performed because it’s risky and very invasive. Some procedures use catheterization to open blockages, but they’re not considered surgical procedures. In cases where a renal artery is blocked, catheterization involves a long, narrow tube being inserted into the vein and towards the blocked blood vessel. This is done with angiography, which is the term for x-ray guidance. The catheter in this procedure is equipped with a device to widen the area and open the blocked vessel. A stent, which is a metal mesh tube, can also be used to keep the area open. This interventional procedure can be used instead of a surgical procedure.

Patients with severe cases of renal vein thrombosis may need surgical intervention to remove the blood clots from the vein. These procedures include a renal endarterectomy and a surgical bypass. An endarterectomy eliminates the blockage from the inner lining of the renal artery, while bypass surgery makes a new way for blood to flow around the blocked areas of the artery. A complete blockage of the renal vein or severe complications may require surgical removal of the kidney, but this is very rare.

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