Nutcracker Phenomenon: A Rare Incidental Finding.

The nutcracker phenomenon, or left renal vein (LRV) entrapment syndrome, occurs when there is compression of the LRV, mostly between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. Patients with nutcracker syndrome (NCS) may present with various symptoms, with the most common being hematuria, left flank pain, varicocele in males, proteinuria, and anemia. Our 22-year-old male patient presented with abdominal pain without hematuria. Insidiously, we made the diagnosis of NCS with this unusual presentation. Some studies have proposed a relationship between rapid weight loss in a short period of time and the appearance of NCS. We recommend that healthcare providers suspect NCS in patients who present with abrupt severe abdominal discomfort, particularly in situations that coincide with rapid weight loss for an unknown reason.

Nutcracker syndrome accompanied by hypertension: a case report and literature review.

Nutcracker syndrome (NCS) refers to characteristic clinical symptoms that develop secondary to the nutcracker phenomenon (NCP), defined as compression of the left renal vein between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta. A 22-year-old Chinese man presented with a 2-year history of hypertension and left flank pain after activity; his blood pressure fluctuated within 130-150/90-100 mmHg without treatment. He had microscopic hematuria (2+) and increased plasma renin activity. The findings of both color Doppler ultrasound and computed tomography angiography were consistent with a diagnosis of NCS. The patient had no history of familial hypertension or special medications. Secondary hypertension-related examinations showed no significant abnormalities. After placement of an endovascular stent in the left renal vein, normal blood flow resumed and the collateral circulation was reduced. Both the hypertension and flank pain were alleviated within 3 days after the intervention and did not reappear during the following 11 months. NCP/NCS accompanied by hypertension is very rare. The possibility of NCP/NCS should be considered when secondary hypertension cannot be explained by other factors. The mechanism by which hypertension is caused by NCP/NCS is rather complex and deserves further investigation.

Laparoscopic left renal vein extravascular stenting for treatment of left renal vein entrapment syndrome / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the surgical management of left renal vein entrapment syndrome.MethodsEight cases with left renal vein entrapment syndrome (5 males and 3 female ; mean age 26 years) with history of gross hematuria for 3 to 46 months were reviewed.Doppler ultrasound reports suggested compression of the left renal vein at mesenteric angle in all cases.And the dilated segment of the left vein was three-fold than the stricture segment in diameter.CT scan showed the abnormal angle between aorta and superior mesentery artery in all cases.Bleeding from the left ureteral orifice was detected by cystoscopy in 6 cases.We treated 8 patients by extravascular stent immobilization with laparoscope.ResultsThe operation was successful in the 8 cases without surgical complications.The average operation time was 63 min.The average blood loss was 14 ml,and the average hospital stay after operation was 6 days.Follow-up of 3 -20 months,there was no hematuria relapse since been relieved in 7 cases,one case remained microscopic hematuria.Color Doppler ultrasound examination in all 8 cases showed the narrowest inner diameter of left renal vein was 7.4 mm (6.5 - 8.7 mm),the blood flow was smooth.The angle between abdominal aorta and superior mesenteric artery become normal.Conclusions Laparoscopic left renal vein extravascular stenting could be a new surgical method to treat left renal vein entrapment syndrome.The method of putting artificial blood vessel around renal vein is simple,safe and effective.

Artificial blood vessel sheath around renal vein for the treatment of left renal vein entrapment syndrome / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of artificial blood vessel sheath around re-nal vein for the treatment of left renal vein entrapment syndrome. Methods Eight cases with left re-nal vein entrapment syndrome (7 males and 1 female, mean age, 16 years) with history of gross hema-turia for 6 to 36 months were reviewed. Doppler ultrasound reports suggested compression of the left renal vein at mesenteric angle in all eases. CT scan showed the abnormal angle between aorta and su-perior mesenterie artery in 5 cases. Cystscopy showed hematuria from the left ureteral orifice in 5 ca-ses. All cases with left renal vein entrapment syndrome were treated ,with the method of putting artifi-cial blood vessel as a sheath around left renal vein. Results The operations were all successful. The average operation time was 150 min, the average blood loss was 50 ml, and the average hospital stay after operation was 9 d. No surgical complications occurred. The gross hcmaturia disappeared in 6 ca-ses and Doppler ultrasound showed that left renal vein outflow was normal in 7 when the patients dis-charged from the hospital. The gross hematuria disappeared during 2-24 months' follow-up in 7 pa-tients. Conclusions The surgical aim of renal vein entrapment syndrome is to reduce the compres-sion of renal vein. The method of putting artificial blood vessel around renal vein could be a simple, safe and effective method.

A Case of Nutcracker Syndrome in a Patient with Gross Hermaturia / 대한신장학회잡지

Nutcracker syndrome(renal vein entrapment syndrome) is probably more common than previously suspected. The nutcracker phenomenon refers to compression of left renal vein between aorta and superior mesenteric artery that results in elevation of pressure in left renal vein and develoment of collateral veins. This syndrome occurs in relatively young and previously healthy patients and is characterized by intermittent gross hematuria due to left renal vein hypertension, at times associated with flank pain, abdominal pain or varicocele. We report a 17 years-old male patient with this syndrome presented with flank pain, abdominal pain, and intermittent gross hematuria for 3 months. Urinalysis revealed protein(-), blood(+++), many RBC with only 1% of dysmorphic RBC. IVP and cystoscopy showed no remarkable finding but doppler ultrasonography and abdominal spiral CT revealed compression of left renal vein between aorta and superior mesenteric artery. Renal venography showed compression of left renal vein and collateral circulation to left gonadal vein and the pressure gradient between left renal vein and inferior vena cava was 11mmHg. The nutcracker syndrome should be considered as one of the causes of nonglomerular hematuria. All patients with unexplained severe left flank or abdominal pain, or unilateral hematuria from the left on cystoscopy, should be studied by selective renal venography and pressure measurement in inferior vena cava and renal veins. The patient with this typical syndrome could be treated surgically, by transposition of left renal vein and resection of collateral veins as the procedure of choice to correct the underlying pathologic process and eliminate these troublesome symptoms.