[Abdominal wall skin nodules revealing xanthogranulomatous pylonephritis]

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is a chronic pyelonephritis characterized by an inflammatory granulomatous reaction that destroys the renal parenchyma. It is an uncommon entity. Diffuse inflammation has the potential to spread to nearby organs, especially the skin.

A 73-year-old patient presented with a three-year history of painful and fistulized nodules on the abdominal wall. The results of abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis with extension to the skin, colon, and psoas muscle. The skin lesions were improved by a double antibiotic therapy. The patient was advised to have a radical left nephrectomy, but he refused surgery and was then lost to follow-up.

We report an uncommon case of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis revealed by cutaneous nodules of the abdominal wall, with an extension toward the skin, the colon and the psoas muscle.