Renal papillary necrosis

Alternative names:

necrosis of the renal papillae; renal medullary necrosis

Symptoms:

• tissue in the urine
• cloudy urine
• dark, rusty or brown urine
• bloody urine
• back pain or flank pain
  • may be on only one side
  • may be acute
  • may be colicky or spasm-like pain

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• urination, painful
• urinary hesitancy
• urinary frequency/urgency, increased
• incontinence
• drowsiness
• chills

Signs and tests:

An examination may reveal tenderness on palpation over the affected kidney. There may be a history of chronic or recurrent urinary tract infections. There may be signs of obstructive uropathy or renal failure.

• A urinalysis may show sediment, casts, tissue, or blood in the urine. Examination of tissue in the urine may show a necrotic renal papilla.
• An IVP may show obstruction or tissue in the renal pelvis or ureter.