[Emphysematous pyelonephritis: report of 3 cases].

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare form of renal suppuration defined by the presence of pus and gas or bacterial origin within the renal parenchyma. It is associated with a high mortality in the absence of rapid and effective treatment. Emergency nephrectomy constitutes the reference treatment. Percutaneous drainage associated with medical treatment is an alternative in patients with localized or bilateral lesions or in the case of solitary kidney. The authors report 3 cases of EPN treated by percutaneous drainage combined with medical treatment for a localized lesion in two cases and nephrectomy in one case of disseminated multilocular lesion with an uneventful course in all three cases.