Emphysematous pyelonephritis: A case report

Abstract

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a severe, life-threatening, necrotizing kidney disease. It occurs almost exclusively in patients with diabetes mellitus. The clinical manifestations are those of pyelonephritis such as dysuria, fever, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The diagnosis is radiological. The treatment strategies are controversial. They include medical management only, percutaneous catheter drainage plus medical management, emergency nephrectomy plus medical treatment or percutaneous drainage plus medical management and emergency nephrectomy. We present the case of a 68-year-old woman affected by emphysematous pyelonephritis successfully managed with conservative medical treatment.