Angiomyolipoma - Causes and Signs of Angiomyolipoma

This disease occurs 3-4 times more often in women aged 36-65 years, this is due to the increased concentration of estrogen and progesterone.

There are the following types of angiomyolipoma:

• Isolated or sporadic - occurs in 90% of cases. As a rule, it affects one kidney.
• Congenital - occurs against the background of tuberculous sclerosis of hereditary origin (Bourneville-Prince disease).

Causes

Angiomyolipoma can occur as a result of a variety of reasons, including a tendency that can be inherited. Often, angiomyolipoma occurs in:

• both acute and chronic lesions;
• the presence of similar phenomena in other organs;
• pregnancy (the tumor process is formed as a result of an increase in the concentration of hormones in the body of the expectant mother).

Symptoms

Angiomyolipoma can be detected completely by chance using ultrasound, which was performed for another reason. The symptoms that make one suspect such a neoplasm are the following: prolonged pain in the lower back and abdominal cavity of a nagging and pulling nature, significant and frequent jumps in blood pressure, easily palpable swelling in the lumbar region, sometimes they can be painful. And also pale skin, dizziness and weakness, which almost reach a fainting state, and blood in the urine. If such a clinic appears, it is imperative to consult a therapist or urologist. A large tumor can provoke a sharp rupture of the parenchymatous organ and extensive intra-abdominal bleeding. If angiomyolipoma grows into nearby lymph nodes or into the renal vein, numerous metastases can form.

Diagnostics

In addition to a general blood and urine test, the doctor can prescribe instrumental diagnostic methods. For example:

• ultrasound examination – allows to detect hyperechoic structures;
• magnetic resonance imaging – allows to obtain an image in different planes;
• angiographic examination – is carried out for differentiation with other formations;
• multispiral computed tomography – helps to detect areas of low density in places where fat is present (the most accurate and objective type of diagnosis of this pathology);
• excretory urography – is carried out to assess the functional and morphological state of the nephric structures.
• renal tissue biopsy and further cytology and histology – are carried out if malignancy is suspected.

Treatment

Angiomyolipoma treatment methods urologists choose taking into account the size of the tumor nodes, their number and location.

For slow-growing neoplasms of small sizes (up to 4 cm), which do not cause complications, active treatment measures are not carried out.

In this case, observational tactics are indicated. Control studies are carried out once a year. For fast-growing neoplasms that are 5 cm or more, surgical tactics are indicated. Most often, organ-preserving surgery is performed (resection is performed) - in the case of normal functioning of the second organ, embolization - a drug is injected into the artery feeding the tumor, under X-ray control with a special device, which helps to block it. This procedure can completely replace surgery or simplify it.

Nephros-preserving surgery is used for multiple focal lesions of both kidneys in order to preserve their function. Enucleation is an intervention in which damaged areas are separated from healthy tissues and then removed. Another name for this method is "enucleation". Cryoablation is a minimally invasive modern method used to treat minor lesions. Its advantage is the possibility of minimal intervention in the body and repeating the procedure, a short postoperative period, and rare complications. With this pathology, you cannot resort to the use of various folk remedies. Such treatment is ineffective and can lead to very disastrous results. Losing time in this situation threatens irreversible complications.

Prevention

Prevention of the disease consists of medical and genetic counseling and urgent referral to a specialist when symptoms of the disease occur.