[Major complications of acquired renal cystic disease: Wünderlich syndrome and papilar carcinoma.]

OBJETIVE: We report a case of acquired renal cystic disease associated with renal dialysis and endstage renal disease. The patient suffered the two major complications related with acquired renal cystic disease; hemorrhage and renal carcinoma.

METHODS: Our case is a patient with acquired renal cystic disease, single kidney after surgery for renal clear cell carcinoma four years earlier, who developed a Wünderlich syndrome (WS).

RESULTS: The histological study of the nephrectomy specimen showed a renal papillary carcinoma in the context of acquired renal cystic disease after surgery for a WS.

CONCLUSIONS: Renal hemorrhage is a serious complication that can lead to a fatal outcome. Patients undergoing dialysis should be monitored actively due to the risk of developing acquired renal cystic disease and associated complications.