[Two Cases of Emphysematous Pyelonephritis Successfully Treated by Transurethral Catheterization]

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a severe necrotic urinary tract infection accompanied by retention of gas in the kidney and areas around it. Formerly, emergency nephrectomy was the primary treatment, but the trend is shifting to treatment with maximum conservation of the kidney. In this report, two cases of EPN successfully treated by transurethral drainage are presented. The first case was in a 63-year-old woman with a history of poorly controlled diabetes. She arrived at the hospital by ambulance with primary symptoms of vomiting and trembling of the hands, and computed tomography (CT) revealed gas in the right renal calix. The second case was in a 61-year-old woman who arrived by ambulance with difficulty of body movement as the primary symptom, and CT revealed a calculus in the right ureter accompanied by right hydronephrosis and retention of gas in the right renal pelvis and right upper ureter. Both patients were diagnosed with EPN and treated by transurethral drainage rather than percutaneous drainage or nephrectomy because of their poor general condition. The treatment was successful. Along with percutaneous drainage, transurethral drainage is considered to be an option of surgical treatment for EPN.