A strange case of renal colic

Abstract

We present a case of a 42-year-old man with aortic and renal artery dissections presenting with symptoms of renal colic. The patient went twice to the emergency department during a 2-day period due to severe pain originating in the right flank and radiating both inferiorly and anteriorly. The patient’s initial presentation can be misleading since the symptoms fit with the features of a renal colic. Ultrasound, a first-line examination for evaluation of vascular injuries, and Computed Tomography scans confirmed the appropriate diagnosis. A high degree of suspicion, an early identification, and surgical intervention can help reduce the high incidence of mortality in these cases. In all cases of loin pain, especially in the elderly patient, the possibility of a leaking abdominal aneurysm must be considered. Aortic dissection is a surgical emergency associated with very high morbidity and mortality.