Inflammatory pseudotumour (IPT) is a rare disease of unknown cause that most commonly involves the lung but can occur in almost any site in the body. Occurrence in the kidneys is very rare and bilateral renal involvement even rarer. There are 34 previously reported cases in the English-language medical literature between 1966 and 2008. Herein we report a case of IPT infiltrating both kidneys. We have also reviewed the clinical features, radiological findings, treatment and outcome of renal IPT. Clinical features at presentation are commonly non-specific. Features on imaging are inadequate to make a diagnosis of IPT or to clearly distinguish it from malignancy. Consequently diagnosis has frequently been made after nephrectomy and on a few occasions with the aid of percutaneous or open biopsies. The majority of renal IPT (83%) have been treated with nephrectomy and those cases with bilateral IPT have received corticosteroids.
Clostridium difficile infection is a rare precipitant of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS). A 46-year-old man presented with watery diarrhoea following an ileocaecal resection. He developed an acute kidney injury with anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, raised lactate dehydrogenase, low haptoglobin, and red cell fragments. Stool sample was positive for C. difficile toxin B. He became dialysis-dependent as his renal function continued to worsen despite treatment with empiric antibiotics and plasma exchange. The ADAMTS13 level was normal consistent with a diagnosis of aHUS. The commencement of eculizumab led to the resolution of haemolysis and stabilisation of haemoglobin and platelets with an improvement in renal function.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.