Endovascular treatment of renal vein thrombosis in a young patient with lung transplant

Spontaneous renal vein thrombosis is a rare entity. A 28-year-old woman with a history of a double-lung transplant was admitted with flank pain and found to have acute kidney injury. A magnetic resonance venogram demonstrated isolated left renal vein thrombosis with extension into the inferior vena cava. Initial management with therapeutic anticoagulation and hydration was unsuccessful. Thus, pharmacochemical thrombectomy was performed. A temporary suprarenal inferior vena cava filter was placed for intraoperative pulmonary prophylaxis. The patient's renal function returned to baseline and remained normal 13 months later. Early incorporation of percutaneous pharmacomechanical thrombectomy can improve renal function when medical therapy alone is unsuccessful.