Kidney injuries

[Lizzy Liz]

Kidneys are injured more often than any of the organs along the urinary tract from external trauma. Blunt force due to motor vehicle crashes, falls, or sports injuries is the usual cause of urinary tract injury. Penetrating kidney injuries most often result from gunshot or stab wounds. Less commonly, injuries can occur during diagnostic tests, such as a kidney biopsy, or during various treatments, such as those for kidney stones, including extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, and are usually minor. Similarly, most blunt kidney injuries are minor. However, some are serious. If serious blunt or penetrating kidney injuries are not treated, complications, such as kidney failure or kidney loss, delayed bleeding, infection, and high blood pressure may result.