Preoperative selective embolization of a renal angiomyolipoma allowing conservative surgery

The authors report the case of a 42-year-old woman presenting with a mass in the left hypochondrium, in whom preoperative haemostatic embolization allowed subsequent partial nephrectomy. Ultrasound, helical CT and magnetic resonance imaging showed a large mass (30 cm in diameter) arising from the left kidney. This mass presented characteristics in favour of an essentially fatty lesion compatible with angiomyolipoma, supplied by a large midrenal transcapsular artery. Partial proximal haemostatic selective renal embolization using metal coils was performed immediately prior to surgery. Preoperative embolization rapidly allowed complete resection of the tumour Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of angiomyolipoma.

Conclusions: This cases illustrates the role of preoperative embolization to facilitate conservative surgical management of a large benign tumour.