Which of the following is true regarding injury to the kidneys?

• A. Only minimal force is needed to damage the kidneys.
• B. Kidney injuries are rarely caused by blunt trauma.
• C. The kidneys are not well protected.
• D. Injury to the kidneys usually indicates injury to other organs.

Answer: (D)

Kidney injuries from trauma are usually part of multisystem damage. The kidneys sit in the retroperitoneal space near major vessels and adjacent organs, so when the kidneys are injured the surrounding structures are often affected as well. Because of this anatomy and the typical force involved in blunt abdominal trauma, damage to the kidneys usually signals that other organs may be injured, prompting a broad trauma evaluation. While the kidneys are partly protected by the lower ribs and surrounding tissue, they are not immune to injury, and the pattern of injury tends to involve other abdominal or back structures more often than not.