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Severe emphysematous pyelonephritis on a horseshoe kidney
T d'Escrivan1, A Duval, K Faure
1Service de réanimation et maladies infectieuses, centre hospitalier Dron, 135, rue du Président-Coty, 59208 Tourcoing cedex, France.
Medecine Et Maladies Infectieuses
|July 21, 2006
Summary
Emphysematous pyelonephritis, a severe kidney infection, typically requires surgery. However, this case shows antibiotics alone can successfully treat this condition, even with complications like septic shock.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Infectious Diseases
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a severe necrotizing renal infection with high mortality.
- It is characterized by gas production within the renal parenchyma, often associated with diabetes mellitus.
- The traditional treatment involves surgery combined with antibiotics.
Observation:
- A 58-year-old woman with undiagnosed diabetes presented with emphysematous pyelonephritis.
- The patient developed severe complications, including septic shock and acute renal failure.
- Despite the severity, the patient had no prior history of diabetes.
Findings:
- A case of emphysematous pyelonephritis complicated by septic shock and acute renal failure was successfully managed.
- The patient received antibiotic therapy alone, without surgical intervention.
- The treatment with antibiotics alone resulted in a positive clinical outcome.
Implications:
- This case challenges the necessity of surgery as the sole treatment for emphysematous pyelonephritis.
- It suggests that antibiotic therapy alone may be a viable option in select cases, even with significant complications.
- Further research is warranted to identify criteria for non-surgical management of this condition.
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