Renal ultrastructure in cortical necrosis following Russell's viper envenomation.

Electron microscopic examination of biopsy material from two patients with renal cortical necrosis following Russell's viper bite, showed extensive destruction of glomerular and tubular cells with haemorrhage into the glomerular urinary space and tubules. The non-selective cell destruction seen suggests an ischaemic aetiology and the presence of fibrin in the glomeruli indicates that the ischaemia may be due to intravascular coagulation.