Contribution of Serial Focused High-Resolution Renal Ultrasound in the Management of a Neonate in Acute Renal Failure

Most newborns begin urinating within 24hours of life, and almost always by 48hours. Rarely, some of them are anuric beyond 24hours, thereby causing concern to parents and treating doctors. We report the case of a newborn who presented with anuria till 48hours after birth. High-resolution ultrasound examination, focusing on the renal medulla, demonstrated increased echogenicity at the tip of the pyramids. This was attributed to slow clearance of urinary sediment deposited there, which was causing obstruction to the urinary outflow. On monitoring serially over the next few days, the echogenic sludge was observed being slowly eliminated leading thereby to improvement in the urinary output. High-resolution ultrasound focusing on the renal pyramids played an important role in the observation and management of this transient event unfolding, in the urinary tract.