Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Renal Vein Thrombosis

Definition

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

Description

Renal vein thrombosis occurs in both infants and adults. Onset of the disorder can be rapid (acute) or gradual. The number of people who suffer from renal vein thrombosis is difficult to determine, as many people do not show symptoms, and the disorder is diagnosed only by specific tests. Ninety percent of childhood cases occur in children under one year old, and 75% occur in infants under one month of age. In adult women, oral contraceptive use increases the risk of renal vein thrombosis.

Causes and symptoms

In children, renal vein thrombosis almost always occurs rapidly after an episode of severe dehydration. Severe dehydration decreases blood volume...