Intravenous urography and childhood trauma.

Emergency intravenous urography is considered an essential examination in the evaluation of any patient suspected of having suffered renal trauma (Editorial, 1979). This practice is derived from clinical experience in adults. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the need for emergency urography in children, particularly those suffering from only minor renal trauma. It is based on a retrospective review of the cases of renal trauma admitted to the Paediatric Surgical Unit of the Children's Hospital, Sheffield, during the period 1969-1979. The patients were suspected to have suffered renal trauma on the basis of the history, symptoms, signs and site of their injuries.