Pappas S, Sotiropoulos A, Katsadoros D
Second Department of Internal Medicine, State General Hospital of Nikaea, Piraeus, Greece.
Diabet Med. 1993 Jul;10(6):574-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.1993.tb00124.x.
Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a rare and life-threatening suppurative infection of renal parenchymal and perirenal tissues, characterized by spontaneous gas production. Although uncommon (76 cases in the literature), it occurs almost exclusively in diabetic patients (87% of the cases). We describe a recent case of a diabetic woman with emphysematous pyelonephritis due to E. coli, successfully managed with unilateral nephrectomy. Symptoms, diagnostic approach and management are discussed and related to the previously reported series.
