Chronic adult renal vein thrombosis: two unusual cases and a review of the literature.

A panorama of signs and symptoms from the primary and associated disease processes complicates the clinical picture of chronic adult renal vein thrombosis (RVT). This has made the diagnosis of RVT very challenging. In addition, this entity is often overlooked in differential diagnosis due to the patient's often multiple other problems. Detecting this condition may lead to restoration of renal function compromised by renal vein obstruction and thus be of critical benefit in patients who often have compromise of renal function. Two unusual presentations of chronic RVT are discussed and provide a basis for review of the salient features of aetiology, diagnosis and disease management, providing what is hoped to be useful suggestions in diagnosis and management of this condition.