Nutcracker syndrome is a rare vein compression disorder. It occurs when arteries, most often the abdomen's aorta and superior mesenteric artery, squeeze the left renal (kidney) vein. It can cause many symptoms in both children and adults, such as flank pain and blood in the urine.

What is the cause of nutcracker syndrome?

In nutcracker syndrome, symptoms are most often caused when the left renal vein coming from the left kidney becomes compressed and blood can't flow normally through it. Instead, blood flows backwards into other veins and causes them to swell.

What happens if you don't treat nutcracker syndrome?

The risks to not treating Nutcracker Syndrome are progressive kidney damage and the risk of complete occlusion of the kidney vein by a clot. Once this happens, the prognosis becomes much worse, and the chance of complete resolution of the problem is far less.