RESUMEN
As the majority of renal injuries will resolve satisfactorily with conservative management, only a small proportion will require consideration for surgical repair. These include kidneys that have been severely lacerated or ruptured, or those that have sustained injury to the renovascular pedicle. In the experience of many, immediate or early surgery undertaken for these serious injuries may result in nephrectomy in up to one-third of cases, usually on account of uncontrolled bleeding. We believe that a full picture of the extent and nature of the injury would be available, soon after resuscitation, from non-invasive investigation using urography, CT and isotope scanning, and that surgery may then be performed electively in all cases except for those injuries that are life-threatening or involve the renovascular pedicle. It is our limited experience that surgical repair of the ruptured or seriously lacerated kidney may offer more rewarding results if undertaken some 4-6 weeks after injury. The case studies here presented illustrate some features in the evaluation of the ruptured kidney, and the results available from delayed surgical repair