A case of renal dysfunction caused by pelvic organ prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent of pelvic organs through the vagina, and sometimes causes hydronephrosis. Although the association between POP and hydronephrosis has long been recognized, severe hydronephrosis and renal dysfunction are rarely seen. We report a case of 66-year-old woman who had a vaginal delivery presented with externalized uterine and bladder prolapse during the previous 2 years. She had a 3-day history of hypophagia and vomiting, and laboratory analysis resulted in serum creatinine of 5.75 mg/dL and blood urea of 78.1 mg/dL. The patient was treated urgently with vaginal pessary to return the uterine and bladder into the pelvis. After 2 weeks, her serum creatinine dropped to 3.66 mg/dL, but chronic renal failure persisted. Hydronephrosis caused by POP may lead to renal dysfunction and can advance to irreversible renal damage if left untreated. Important is early evaluation of renal function and images of the kidney and ureter.