Giant Renal Artery Aneurysms: Decision-Making Dilemmas

Copyright © 2013 Michael J. Ramdass.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. A case of a 10 cm giant renal artery aneurysm in an 81-year-old lady is herein reported.The patient presented as an incidental finding on an abdominal ultrasound with an aneurysm which was large, soft, egg-shell-like, and bilobular with a cauliflower-type pattern invading the parenchyma of the renal substance and extending caudally. A right nephrectomywas carried out, and the patientmade an uneventful recovery. This paper reviews the options for treatment of giant renal artery aneurysms and highlights the benefit of a planned nephrectomy once there is adequate renal reserve in the opposite kidney using a midline approach for right-sided giant renal artery aneurysms and a left-sided flank approach for left-sided aneurysms. 1