Aggravation of the nutcracker syndrome during pregnancy.

Abstract

The nutcracker syndrome is a rare condition thought to be caused by compression of the left renal vein between the descending aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. Gross hematuria appeared in the third trimester of an otherwise normal pregnancy. It continued despite treatment, and a cesarean was performed at 37 weeks' gestation. The hematuria stopped postpartum. With postpartum angiography and three-dimensional computed tomography, the diagnosis of nutcracker syndrome was finally made. Pregnancy can aggravate the nutcracker syndrome. This syndrome should be recognized as one of the diseases that causes gross hematuria.