Related Experiment Videos
Renal damage after acute pyelonephritis.
British Medical Journal
|March 1, 1969
Summary
Acute pyelonephritis caused temporary kidney enlargement and impaired function in a 41-year-old woman. Post-infection, the affected kidney returned to normal size and function, though it remained shorter.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Radiology
- Urology
Background:
- Acute pyelonephritis is a common kidney infection.
- Intravenous pyelograms (IVPs) are used to visualize the urinary tract.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the renal changes during and after acute pyelonephritis using IVPs.
- To assess the functional recovery of the kidney post-infection.
Main Methods:
- Serial intravenous pyelograms were performed before, during, and after an acute pyelonephritis episode.
- Renal size and contrast excretion were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Kidney size increased bilaterally during the acute pyelonephritis attack.
- The right kidney showed non-excretion of contrast medium during the acute phase.
- Post-recovery, the right kidney decreased in size and became 1 cm shorter.
Conclusions:
- Acute pyelonephritis can cause transient renal enlargement and temporary loss of function.
- Renal size and function typically normalize after successful treatment, but minor residual changes may occur.