A case of acute pyelonephritis complicated with renal vein thrombosis / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

A 57-year-old woman who had a history of diabetes was admitted due to fever and left flank pain. Acute pyelonephritis was diagnosed by clinical findings including left costovertebral area tenderness, positive urine and blood cultures. Subsequent abdominal computed tomography demonstrated multiple abscess pockets in the left renal parenchyme and ipsilateral renal vein thrombosis. She was fully recovered after treatment with antibiotics, low-molecular weight heparin and low-dose aspirin for six weeks. Our case emphasizes that renal vein thrombosis could be complicated in acute pyelonephritis, especially in patients with diabetes. It is reasonable to speculate that factors such as hemoconcentration caused by fever and osmotic diuresis and compression of renal vascular pedicle by renal abscess might have had a role in inciting the renal vein thrombosis.