Nephrectomy as Salvage Treatment After an Unsuccessful Embolization of a Huge Incidental Renal Artery Aneurysm With an Arteriovenous Fistula

Renal artery aneurysms (RAA) with a concomitant renal arteriovenous fistula (RAVF) are rare entities with a reported incidence of less than 1%. An 86-year-old man was admitted to the urology department after an incidental finding of a left RAA on an abdominal ultrasound. A computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed a saccular aneurysm measuring 54x42mm in the distal part of the left renal artery, along with a huge arteriovenous fistula measuring 45mm. The patient was asymptomatic at admission. Given the radiologic findings, an unsuccessful attempt at transcatheter arterial embolization was conducted. Therefore, a radical nephrectomy was recommended for the patient, which was performed without major intraoperative or postoperative complications. Microscopic examination depicted arteriosclerotic lesions and arterionephrosclerosis with 30% sclerotic glomeruli. The patient at his last visit remained free of symptoms. This case highlights the role of nephrectomy as a feasible option in cases of endovascular treatment failure.