AN ABSCESS THAT WASNT - RENAL CALYCEAL DIVERTICULUM IN A STUDENT NAVAL AVIATOR

The authors report a case of a 24-yr-old female Navy student pilot who presented with pyelonephritis, and on workup, was found to have two d iverticula arising from calyces in her left kidney. Her infection reso lved after several weeks of antibiotic therapy. She was granted a waiv er to return to flight status based on the judgment that her risk of r ecurrent infection, sudden incapacitation, future need of surgery, and compromise of mission effectiveness were acceptably low. She has rema ined asymptomatic after more than 48 mo of follow-up. Renal calyceal d iverticulum has not previously been discussed in the literature of aer ospace medicine. The definition, anatomy, possible etiologies, epidemi ology, presentation, treatment options, and aeromedical disposition, i ncluding human-machine interface issues, for calyceal diverticula are discussed. Aviators with calyceal diverticula are at increased risk of urinary tract infection and other complications; aeromedical disposit ion should rest on evaluation of such risk on a case-by-case basis.