ABSTRACT
Aneurysms of the renal artery are an uncommon vascular disease, the clinical importance of which is a matter of controversy.1-13 The emergency surgical treatment of renal artery aneurysms represents an ill-defined practice, with most reported experiences being anecdotal. The two most common complications leading to emergency operations are aneurysm rupture and thrombosis with peripheral embolism. Occurrences of these complications are often overestimated in that most published reports describe operative rather than population-based experiences. These emergency scenarios require careful clinical judgement and skilled surgical intervention if optimal care is to be achieved. The two most relevant renal artery macroaneurysms, namely, true aneurysms and those associated with dissections, deserve individual discussion.
