Extraurinary manifestations of chronic pyonephrosis

Twenty-five patients who underwent nephrectomy for chronic pyonephrosis were studied retrospectively. Such patients may present with a wide range of symptoms. Marked haematological and biochemical abnormalities are found, the most striking being a gross elevation of plasma viscosity (or ESR) and a raised alkaline phosphatase. The resulting picture often suggests extrarenal disease, and diagnostic confusion occurred in a number of patients.