
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Pyonephrosis pathophysiology
Introduction
Overview
Overview

Pyonephrosis can be seen as a complication of acute pyelonephritis, usually seen with complete or incomplete obstruction of tubules. Obstruction of ureter and renal pelvis causes dilatation of tubular system which in turn leads to hydronephrosis. The dilatation of the tubular system serves as a nidus for infection because the pathogens multiply easily in obstructed and dilated tubules leading to suppurative inflammation.
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology
- Pyonephrosis can be seen as a complication of acute pyelonephritis, usually seen with complete or incomplete obstruction of tubules[1].
- Obstruction of ureter and renal pelvis causes dilatation of tubular system which in turn leads to hydronephrosis.
- The dilatation of the tubular system serves as a nidus for infection because the pathogens multiply easily in obstructed and dilated tubules leading to suppurative inflammation.
- The exudates fill the tubules, renal pelvis, calyces, and ureter with pus that is difficult to drain.
- The accumulation of pus in the tubules eventually leads to structural and functional loss of the renal parenchyma which can cause a complete or incomplete loss of function initially.[2]
- The combination of obstruction with the infections may rapidly progress to sepsis.
- Therefore, it becomes critical to promptly diagnose and treat the condition to prevent renal loss of function and bloodstream infection leading to sepsis.
References
References
- β Kumar, Vinay (2015). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Saunders. ISBNΒ 978-1-4557-2613-4.
- β Tamburrini S, LugarΓ M, Iannuzzi M, Cesaro E, De Simone F, Del Biondo D; et al. (2021). “Pyonephrosis Ultrasound and Computed Tomography Features: A Pictorial Review”. Diagnostics (Basel). 11 (2). doi:10.3390/diagnostics11020331. PMCΒ 7921924 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMIDΒ 33671431 Check|pmid=value (help).
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Harsh Vardhan Chawla, M.B.B.S.[2]
