Renal Angiomyolipoma Presenting as Acute Abdominal Emergency: A Case Report

Abstract

A 47-year-old woman presented as an acute abdominal emergency with rapid progression to shock following spontaneous rupture of a left renal angiomyolipoma. The diagnosis was missed clinically and on computerized tomographic scan. At different stages of management based on her pattern of symptoms, signs and radiologic appearances of her lesion, she was thought to have ruptured ectopic pregnancy, torsion of a left ovarian cyst, acute salpingitis, spontaneous rupture of the spleen, leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm and eventually left renal cell carcinoma until the histology of her left nephroureterectomy specimen became available. Even though a rare entity, with a high index of suspicion and a good knowledge of the pathognomonic features on ultrasound and computerized tomographic scanning, the diagnosis should be more easily made to facilitate quicker decisions on management.

(Nig J Surg Res 2001; 3: 181 – 184)

KEY WORDS:

Renal Angiomyolipoma, Acute Abdomen