Emphysematous Pyelonephritis and Obstructive Uropathy: Case Report
Urmila Anandh1*, Ritesh Kumar2, Suri Babu3
1Department
of Nephrology, Yashoda Hospitals, Telangana,
India
2Department of Radiology,
Yashoda Hospitals, Telangana, India
3Department of Urology, Yashoda Hospitals, Telangana, India
*Corresponding author:Urmila Anandh, Department of Nephrology, Yashoda Hospitals, Alexander Road, Secunderabad 500003, Telangana, India. Tel: +919324582980;Email:uanandh@gmail.com
Received Date: 18November, 2017; Accepted Date: 11December,
2017; Published Date: 18 December, 2017
Citation:Anandh U, Kumar R, Babu S (2017) Emphysematous Pyelonephritis and Obstructive Uropathy: Case Report. J Urol Ren Dis 2017: 169. DOI: 10.29011/2575-7903.000169
1. Abstract
Emphysematous pyelonephritis is increasingly becoming a common presentation in patients with underlying diabetes mellitus. It is being considered a common cause of sepsis in this subgroup of patients if left untreated.We present a case of an elderly gentleman withreasonable control of blood glucose levels and obstructive uropathy who presented to us in sepsis and clinical evaluation revealed emphysematous pyelonephritis. Imaging studies revealed extensive air collection extending up to the thigh and scrotum. He underwent an emergency right DJ stenting and percutaneous drainage of the perinephric abscess.He improved without any further surgical intervention.This case highlights the role of obstructive uropathy as an underlying cause for the development of emphysematous pyelonephritis.
2. Keywords: Emphysematous; Obstructive Uropathy; Pyelonephritis
1. Introduction
Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a severe necrotising infection of the renal parenchyma by gas producing gram negative bacteria. It is often a complication acute pyelonephritis in patients with diabetes mellitus, mostly women.[1,2]. However, it is also a manifestation in patients withobstructive uropathy[3].We present a case of emphysematous pyelonephritis where not only diabetes mellitus, but the presence of obstruction in the renal collecting systemplayed an important role in the clinical presentation.
2. Case Repor
A 72-year-old male a known case of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and chronic kidney disease on conservative management presented to us with high grade fever with chills, abdominal pain, vomiting, reduced urine output and drowsiness of 3 days duration. He was a known case of chronic kidney disease on conservative management. 6 months back he was admitted with similar symptoms at a different hospital and was told to have urinary tract infection then.His CT scan of the abdomen then revealed anupper ureteric stricture of the left kidney and shrunken hydronephrotic right kidney Figure 1a
He was
managed successfully with antibiotics and temporary haemodialysis. After that
his serum creatinine hovered around 4-4.5 mg/dl and was managed conservatively.
A diagnosis ofgenitourinary tuberculosis was made, and he took ant tuberculous
therapy for 6 months.At our hospital he was found to be febrile, hypotensive
and in altered sensoriumHis abdominal examination revealed extensive crepitus
over the right flank, inguinal region and scrotum. His initial laboratory investigations
are detailed in (Table 1).
His
blood glucose control was reasonable, and he was not on any
antidiabeticmedications. His computed tomography of the abdomen showed aright
perinephric collection andair in the right renal pole (Figure
2).
A diagnosis of right emphysematous pyelonephritis with sepsis was made.He wasstarted on intravenous antibiotics and reinitiated on haemodialysis. An urgent urology consult was sought, and he underwent an emergency right ureteric DJ stenting and percutaneous drainage of the perinephric/scrotalcollection.He continued to make steady progress and his abdominal drains were removed on the eighth postoperative day. He received intravenous antibiotics for fourteen days.At no point of time during his hospital stay he required any antidiabetic medications for his blood glucose control. At discharge he was afebrile and hemodynamically stable. 3 months on follow up he is on continuous bladder drainage and thrice weekly maintenance haemodialysis through a left jugular permcath.
3. Discussion
Emphysematous
pyelonephritis was first described in 1898 and since then it has been
considered to be a rare clinical manifestation. However, with increasing
incidence of diabetes mellitus this disease is being increasingly recognised in
our clinical practice [4].In a caseseries Fatima
et al have shown that 20-30 % of Indian patients present with extensive gas
formation(CT gradeIII/IV) and have sepsis and multiorgan dysfunction as initial
clinical presentation [5]. Similar findings were
also reported in another case series from North India [6].All
these patients (100%) hadhyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia and infection with gas
producing(mixed acid fermenting) bacteria are considered to be important
elements in the development of emphysematous pyelonephritis[7].Besides hyperglycemia,local tissue ischemia is an important
pathophysiological factor which perpetuates the infection. Ureteral obstruction,
which is the second most common predisposing factor,[8]
can also cause local tissue ischemia which can further exacerbatetissue
destruction.Obstruction relatedinadequate removal of gas from the affected
renal parenchyma further aggravates the clinical presentation [9]. Besides ischemia, immune deficiency secondary to
long standing chronic kidney disease,also plays a contributory role.We believe
obstruction and long-standing kidney disease had an important synergistic role
to play in our case who presented with extensive subcutaneous and scrotal
emphysema. Not only early drainage of the perinephric collection [10,11], as is the standard of care, but also
attention to the obstructed renal collecting system lead to a favourable
outcome in our patient.A recent case series also highlighted the importance of
upper tract obstruction as an important predisposing factor in the development
of emphysematous pyelonephritis.In this report only one out of five (20%) had
diabetes mellitus,whereas 60% (3/5) had upper tract obstruction[12]. Our case illustrates an important point of the
synergistic role of various predisposing factors besides hyperglycemia which contributes
to serious complications in a patient with emphysematous pyelonephritis.
Attaining normoglycemia is an important goal of therapy, but early evaluation
and treatment of an obstructed urinary tract is also important.
Figure 1a: Left hydronephrotic
kidney with upper ureteric stricture and right hydronephrotic kidney.
His
bladder was grossly thick walled and shrunken (Figure 1b).
.
Figure
1b: Grossly thick walled and shrunken bladder.
Figure
2:Right posterior perinephric collection with air pockets. Air in ureter,
periureteric and in anterior perinephric space.
The
air in the right kidney extended upto the retroperitoneal space, anterior
abdominal wall, scrotal sac and the soft tissues of the right thigh(Figure 3).
Figure
3: Air in right perinephric space, retroperitoneum air, air in anterior
abdominal wall, soft tissues of thigh, right scrotal sac.
Investigation
|
Result |
Reference Range |
Hemoglobin (gm %) |
8.1 |
13-17 |
Total Leucocyte Count(cells/cu mm) |
14880 |
4000-11000 |
Platelet Count (lakhs/cumm) |
4.2 |
1.5 to 4.1 |
ESR (mm) |
112 |
0-15 |
PT (s) |
18.7 |
16-Nov |
INR |
1.65 |
|
APTT(s) |
34.5 |
26-40 |
RBS (mg/dl) |
98 |
< 200 |
Sr. Creatinine (mg/dl) |
5.5 |
0.52-1.04 |
Blood Urea (mg/dl) |
90 |
15-36 |
Serum Potassium (mmol/l) |
4.8 |
3.5-5.1 |
Serum Sodium (mmol/l) |
139 |
137-145 |
Serum calcium (mg/dl) |
8 |
8.4-10.2 |
Serum phosphorus (mg/dl) |
7.6 |
2.5-4.5 |
Serum uric acid (mg/dl) |
9.2 |
2.5-6.2 |
Bilirubin (mg/dl) |
0.8 |
0.2-1.3 |
Alkaline Phosphatase (IU/L) |
265 |
38-126 |
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (IU/L) |
20 |
9-52 |
Alalnine aminotransferase(ALT) (IU/L) |
19 |
14-36 |
Total Protein (gm/dl) |
5.4 |
6.3-8.5 |
Albumin |
2 |
3.5-5.1 |
Globulin |
3.4 |
2.3-3.5 |
Urine Culture |
Significant growth of ESBL E. coli sensitive to Carbapenems, Colistin and Polymyxin B |
|
Blood Culture |
ESBL E. coli sensitive to Carbapenems, Colistin and Polymyxin B |
|
Table 1: Initial Laboratory Findings.
3.
Kelly HA and MacCullum WG (1898) Pneumaturia. JAMA 31:375-381.
7.
Turney
JH (2000) Renal conservationfor gas-forming infections.The Lancet 335:770-771.
8.
Ubee SS, McGlynn L,
Fordham M (2011) Emphysematous pyelonephritis.BJU International 107:1474-1478.