A Case of Renal Papillary Necrosis Associated with Diabetes Mellitus / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

Renal papillary necrosis is rare. It usually occurs in association with diabetes mellitus, pyelonephritis, urinary tract obstruction, analgesic abuse and sickle cell hemoglobinopathies. The basic pathophysiologic process in renal papillary necrosis appears to be ischemic necrosis. We experienced a case of renal papillary necrosis associated with diabetes mellitus. This 59 years old female was diabetic for 10 years and had persistent pyuria, not controlled with antibiotics. The excretory urography showed nonvisualized left kidney and retrograde pyelography showed multiple irregular filling defect in pelvis and ureter. The nephrectomized kidney showed typical findings of papillary necrosis, grossly and microscopically.