Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Renal Vein Thrombosis

Definition

Renal vein thrombosis develops when a blood clot forms in the renal vein, which is the blood vessel that carries blood from the kidneys back to the heart. The disorder is not common.

Description

Normally, kidneys rid the body of wastes by filtering the wastes into the bladder where they exit the body through the urine. When one or more blood vessels in the kidneys become narrowed (renal artery stenosis) because of debris and plaque build-up, or blocked because of a blood clot (renal vein thrombosis), the kidneys are unable to function properly. There is usually a rise in blood pressure, and kidney failure can occur without prompt treatment.

The onset of renal vein thrombosis can be rapid (acute) or gradual.

Blood clots in the renal arteries are uncommon, but when...