1. Pyelonephritis

2. Contents
Definition
Types
Etiology
Clinical features
Management

3. Definition
Inflammation of the renal parenchyma
Maybe acute or chronic

4. Acute pyelonephritis
Inflammation of the renal parenchyma with local and systemic manifestations of infection
❏ may be classified as uncomplicated or complicated
uncomplicated: in the absence of conditions predisposing to anatomic or functional impairment of urine flow
complicated: occurring in the setting of renal or ureteric stones, strictures, prostatic obstruction (hypertrophy or malignancy), vesicoureteric reflux, neurogenic bladder, catheters, DM, sickle-cell hemoglobinopathies, polycystic kidney disease, immunosuppression, and post-renal transplant

5. Etiology
❏ usually ascending microorganisms, most often bacteria ❏ in females with uncomplicated pyelonephritis usually E. coli ❏ causative microorganisms are usually E. coli, Klebsiella, Proteus, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, and S. aureus ❏ if S. aureus is found, suspect bacteremic spread from a distant focus (e.g. septic emboli in infective endocarditis) and suspect (possible multiple intra-renal microabscesses or perinephric abscess)

6. Pathology Loss of demarcation between the cortex & medulla
Multiple abscesses with widespread interstitial infiltration with polymorphonuclear leucocytes

9. Clinical Presentation
❏ rapid onset (hours to a day) ❏ lethargic and unwell, fever, tachycardia, shaking, chills, nausea and vomiting, myalgias ❏ marked CVA or flank tenderness; possible abdominal pain on deep palpation ❏ symptoms of lower UTI may be absent (urgency, frequency, dysuria) ❏ may have symptoms of Gram negative sepsis

10. Note
❏ Patients (especially the elderly) with acute pyelonephritis +/– sepsis may present initially with only back pain, abdominal pain, symptoms of disturbed GI function, or mental status changes

11. Investigations
❏ urine dipstick: +ve for leukocytes and nitrites, possible hematuria ❏ microscopy: > 5 WBC/HPF in unspun urine or > 10 WBC/HPF in spun urine, bacteria ❏ Gram stain: Gram negative rods, Gram positive cocci ❏ culture: > 105 colony forming units (CFU)/mL in clean catch midstream urine or > 102 CFU/mL in suprapubic aspirate or catheterized specimen ❏ CBC and differential: leukocytosis, high % neutrophils ❏ blood cultures: may be positive in 20% of cases, especially in S. aureus infection ❏ consider investigation of complicated pyelonephritis: if fever, pain, leukocytosis not resolving with treatment within 72 hr, if male patient, or if there is history of urinary tract abnormalities (abdo /pelvis U/S, CT for renal abscess, spiral CT for stones, cystoscopy)

12. A, Excretory urogram. Ten-minute film demonstrates enlarged right kidney with minimum function. Findings are consistent with edema.
B, Ultrasound of the right kidney demonstrates renal enlargement, hypoechoic parenchyma, and compressed central collecting complex

14. Complications
Chronicity
Bacteraemia or Septicaemia

15. Differential diagnosis
Acute appendicitis
Acute cholecystitis
Acute diverticulitis
Pancreatitis
Basal pneumonia
Herpes zoster affecting somatic segments of T12 & L1

16. Treatment
❏ uncomplicated pyelonephritis with mild symptoms • 14 day course of TMP/SMX (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) or fluoroquinolone or third generation cephalosporin • start with IV for several days and then switch to PO (can then be treated as outpatient) ❏ patient more than mildly symptomatic or complicated pyelonephritis in the setting of stone obstruction is an urologic emergency (placing patient at risk of kidney loss or septic shock) • start broad spectrum IV antibiotics until cultures return (imipenem or emropenem or piperacillin /tazobactam or ampicillin+gentamicin) and treat 2-3 weeks • follow-up cultures 2-4 weeks after stopping treatment ❏ if no improvement in hr, need to continue on IV antibiotics, assess for complicated pyelonephritis or possible renal or perinephric abscess

18. Chronic Pyelonephritis interstitial inflammation & scarring of renal parenchyma is associated with visible scarring & deformity of pelvicalyceal system
Chronic Obstructive Pyelonephritis
Obstruction of collecting system 
Predisposes to infection
(acute pyelonephritis)
Recurrent infections
Recurrent bouts of renal inflammation & scarring
Further obstruction
(predisposing to infection)
Chronic pyelonephritis
Chronic Reflux Associated Pyelonephritis
(reflux nephropathy)
Congenital lesion  terminal ureteric segment 90° to mucosal surface of bladder 
Contraction of bladder holds ureteric orifice open
Vesico -ureteric reflux
Superimposed infection
(access from bladder)
Scarring
Unilateral  atrophy;
Bilateral  renal failure

19. Chronic Pyelonephritis due to Urinary Reflux A – Refluxing papilla B – Refluxing vesico-ureteric junction

20. Morphology Macroscopic Microscopic
Deep irregular scars seen towards poles of kidneys
Unilateral or bilateral (asymmetrical)
Distinctive relationship between scarred areas and underlying deformed & dilated calyces
Microscopic
Uneven interstitial fibrosis & inflam infiltrate
atrophic & dilated tubules  eosinophilic casts  ‘thyroidisation’

21. This is chronic pyelonephritis.
The large collection of chronic inflammatory cells here is in a patient with a history of multiple recurrent urinary tract infections.
This is chronic pyelonephritis.

22. Both lymphocytes and plasma cells are seen in this case of chronic pyelonephritis. It is not uncommon to see lymphocytes accompany just about any chronic renal disease: glomerulonephritis, nephrosclerosis, pyelonephritis.
However, the plasma cells are most characteristic for chronic pyelonephritis.

23. Clinical features Gradual onset of renal insufficiency
Development of hypertension
Possible bacteriuria
Latent devlopment of glomerulosclerosis  proteinuria
Eventually  chronic renal failure

24. Investigations
Blood
Urine
X- ray
Cystoscopy

25. Treatment Treatment of the cause Medical treatment Surgical treatment:
Removal of obstruction
Repair of vesicoureteric reflux
Partial nephrectomy
Nephrectomy

26. Chronic pyelonephritis
Persistent presence of bacteria in the kidney
❏ a form of chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis of bacterial origin
❏ cortical scarring, tubulointerstitial damage, and calyceal deformities seen
❏ may be active (persistent infection) or inactive (persistent focal sterile scars post-infection)
❏ histologically indistinguishable from many other forms of TIN (severe vesicoureteric reflux, hypertensive disease, analgesic nephropathy)
❏ active chronic pyelonephritis may respond to antibiotics
❏ need to rule out TB

27. Treatment Regimens for Acute Complicated and Uncomplicated Pyelonephritis
Circumstances
Route
Drug
Dosage
Frequency per Dose
Duration (days)
Outpatient—moderately ill, no nausea or vomiting
Oral
TMP-SMX
160 to 800 mg
BID
10-14
Ciprofloxacin
500 mg
Levofloxacin QD
Norfloxacin
400 mg
Inpatient—severely ill, possible sepsis
Parenteral 14
Ampicillin and gentamicin
1 g
QID
1.5 mg/kg
TID
Ceftriaxone
1 to 2 g
Take until afebrile, then take oral TMP-SMX or fluoroquinolone
Pregnant
1 mg/kg
Aztreonam
TID-QID
Take until afebrile, then take:
Cephalexin

28. Emphysematous Pyelonephritis
Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a form of acute necrotizing pyelonephritis secondary to a gas-producing bacteria (E coli in 66% of cases and Klebsiella in 26%).
It is commonly seen in patients with poorly controlled diabetes (over 90% of cases) or in patients with upper urinary tract obstruction.
The diagnosis is made by the usual signs of acute pyelonephritis and by the presence of gas in the renal collecting system and parenchyma seen on plain films, ultrasound, or CT.

29. Extensive perinephric and intraparenchymal gas secondary to acute bacterial pyelonephritis
Emphysematous pyelonephritis

30. The condition is life threatening, with a mortality rate of 40% to 80% with intravenous antibiotics alone.
Obstruction requires drainage either percutaneously or by stent placement.
Operative treatment, including nephrectomy and drainage along with antibiotics, decreases the mortality rate to less than 20%.