Introduction

The kidneys and the rest of the urinary tract may become injured in a number of ways. Examples include injuries from a blunt or penetrating force (most commonly motor vehicle accidents, falls, and gunshot or stab wounds), surgery, or radiation therapy for cancer treatment. Injuries to the urinary tract often occur with injuries to other organs, especially abdominal organs.

Because the function of the kidneys is to continuously filter out metabolic wastes from the blood and remove them from the body through the urinary tract, injuries to the kidneys or urinary tract can lead to kidney failure. Other complications of injury include bleeding, leakage of urine from the urinary tract into surrounding tissues, and infection. Preventing permanent damage to the urinary tract and even death may depend on prompt diagnosis and treatment.