Renal abscess - diagnosis and therapy

The renal abscess is a rare complication of the acute form of tubulo-inters titial nephritis. Nowadays the renal abscess is caused by ascending infecti ons with gram-negative bacteria (E. coli). These infections are often devel oped by patients with dysregulation of host defense. It is supposed that th ere are predisposing factors. As part of the diagnostics there are not only blood and urine tests, including microbiology and antibiogram, but also im aging techniques, esp. computerized tomography (CT). As far as the imaging diagnostics are concerned differentiation towards renal tumor might become difficult. Treatment is based both on the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics and on securing urine flow. Should these not lead to a quick im provement of the clinical symptoms, surgical intervention as e.g. the expos ure of the kidney or drainage of the abscess becomes necessary. With severe course of disease it becomes necessary to nephrectomise. We report on the pathogenesis, diagnostic findings, and therapy of this disease by the examp les of 6 patients treated in our clinic.