Angiomyolipoma of the right kidney - what is it
Angiomyolipoma (hamartoma) is a benign tumor consisting of blood vessels, smooth muscle and fat cells. The incidence of renal angiomyolipoma is 0.3–3%. In women, the tumor occurs 4 times more often. Congenital (hereditary) angiomyolipoma of both kidneys develops as a result of tuberous sclerosis. Acquired angiomyolipoma affects one kidney. Such formations account for 80-90% of all cases of the disease, and in 80% of cases the right kidney is affected. Acquired angiomyolipoma is more often diagnosed in middle-aged women. Extrarenal tumor localization is very rare.
In 80% of cases, the disease is asymptomatic and is discovered accidentally during a CT scan or ultrasound of the kidneys. You will learn about what an angiomyolipoma of the right kidney is, as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment of pathology from our article.
Symptoms of kidney angiomyolipoma, diagnosis of the disease
The tumor usually develops asymptomatically. Only 15-20% of patients have clinical signs:
- pain in the abdomen and lower back;
- weakness;
- hematuria;
- arterial hypertension;
- palpable neoplasms.
The larger the tumor, the more often renal symptoms are observed. If the size of the angiomyolipoma is more than 4 centimeters, there is a risk of complications - hemorrhage into the tumor tissue or paranephric tissue, rapid growth, compression of surrounding tissues and organs, tumor necrosis.
Diagnosis includes ultrasound, MRI or CT. Ultrasound and MRI are safe research methods. In angiomyolipoma of the kidney, CT scan is a standard examination using X-ray radiation. However, it should be taken into account that contrast agents administered to improve visualization can cause an allergic reaction.
Angiomyolipoma of the kidney: treatment
If a small tumor is detected and there are no symptoms, dynamic monitoring (CT and ultrasound once a year) is recommended. Indications for surgery are pain syndrome, rapid growth of the tumor, the size of the tumor is more than 4-5 centimeters. Many specialists consider it expedient to carry out preventive selective embolization - blockage of blood vessels that feed an angiomyolipoma. If the size of the tumor is more than 4 centimeters, this tactic minimizes the probability of bleeding. However, the risk of developing postembolic syndrome should be taken into account.
Angiomyolipoma is not characterized by malignancy (transformation into a malignant tumor), therefore, when choosing a method of removing an angiomyolipoma of the kidney, the priority is an organ-preserving operation - kidney resection. Partial nephrectomy is also proposed as a surgical treatment for rupture of angiomyolipoma. If it is impossible to perform such an operation, a radical nephrectomy (removal of the kidney) is performed.
Small kidney angiomyolipomas do not require treatment. However, it is important to know that tumors with rapid growth (four or more centimeters per year) and dilated blood vessels (aneurysms) pose a significant risk due to the likelihood of rupture. Also, angiomyolipoma can disrupt kidney function, which increases the likelihood of developing chronic kidney failure. Read more about the treatment of chronic kidney failure on our website https://dobrobut.com/
The prognosis for angiomyolipoma depends on the size of the tumor and the general health of the patient. For most patients, the prognosis is favorable.
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