Current Issue : January-March Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 1 Articles : 5 Articles
During anatomical dissection of a female body donor at the Howard University College of Medicine, a rare renal anomaly was discovered. Detailed anatomical and histological analyses on this anomaly were compared to a normal kidney from another donor and previously published reports from a comprehensive literature review. Anatomical assessment confirmed the condition of pancake kidney, a rare form of completely fused, ectopic kidneys without an isthmus. Due to the lack of symptoms in patients with this condition and the limited number of published case reports, very little information is available regarding the anatomy, development, and histology of pancake kidneys, making it difficult to determine an accurate estimate of the number of individuals who are affected. In the case presented here, a single kidney was located in the pelvis, below the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta into the common iliac arteries. The histological analysis of the pancake kidney revealed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, dilated renal tubules, and increased interstitial fluid, all common characteristics of renal disease and not present in the normal kidney of the other donor. Future studies are needed to compare the histology of pancake kidneys and typical kidneys in order to help determine potential pathologies....
Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on maintenance dialysis have a high risk of developing hyperkalemia. In addition to traditional approaches, a new option for the management of patients on dialysis includes the use of a potassium binder, sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC). We evaluated the effect and safety of SZC in patients with chronic PD. Objective: To present a case series that illustrates the real-world use of new potassium- binders in hyperkalemic patients on peritoneal dialysis. Methods: This case series collected 9 patients on PD with baseline potassium values > 5.5 mmol/l and who were treated with SZC 5 g once a day. Data were collected at baseline and at 1, 2, and 3 months after initiation of treatment. Results: The median age of patients was 64.5 years and the median duration of observation was 90 ± 5 days. It was observed that median serum potassium decreased (5.8 mmol/l at baseline with a range of 5.8 mmol/L - 6.8 mmol/L versus 4.5 in the third month with a range of 3.6 mmol/L - 5.3 mmol/L) after SZC treatment. Adverse events were observed in 2 (22.2%). The unique adverse event was constipation and presented in 2 patients (22.2%). Constipation was mild and transient during the observation period. No adverse events of special interest were reported. Conclusion: Normokalemia was established and maintained in this series of patients treated with SZC. No episodes of hyper- or hypo-kalemia were observed. SCZ had a good safety profile and was well tolerated over 3 months....
Purpose: Blunt abdominopelvic trauma frequently results in injuries to the urinary organs, especially in polytrauma. The urotrauma is rarely an acute life-threatening event; however, it may lead to severe complications. Methods: This review addresses the under-representation of urological trauma management in interdisciplinary medical training and its impact on patient outcomes. It compiles evidence-based recommendations and guidelines from multiple specialties, focusing on common challenges in managing these injuries. The resource is tailored for primary care physicians in radiology, trauma surgery, internal medicine, urology, and nephrology. Results: Urinary tract injuries can occur even if the patient’s condition initially appears normal. An exclusion diagnosis is obligatory by contrast medium tomography of the entire urinary tract and, if suspected, an additional uroendoscopic examination. Interventional therapy by catheterisation of the urinary tract is often required. Urosurgical treatment is not commonly needed, but when there is a demand, it must be administered via an interdisciplinary approach with visceral and trauma surgery. Over 90% of life-threatening kidney injuries (usually up to grade 4–5 AAST) are presently treated by interventional radiologists. Acute kidney injury (AKI) as a complication in trauma patients may complicate clinical management and often worsens the outcome. The incidence of trauma-associated AKI in patients admitted to an intensive care unit is high. Conclusions: Patients suffering from blunt abdominopelvic trauma should ideally be referred to certified trauma centres with subspecialised or fully specialised care provided by visceral/vascular surgery, trauma surgery, interventional radiology, urology, and nephrology. This recommendation is based on the complex nature of most damage patterns....
Background: Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) is a genetic disorder of aminoacid metabolism, due to mutations in methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, which leads to the accumulation of methylmalonic acid in body fluids. Patients typically present at the age of 1 month to 1 year with dehydration, renal impairment as well as neurologic manifestations viz. seizure, encephalopathy, strokes and disease in the globus pallidi. The case: a 26-year-old man presented with severe acute on top of chronic renal disease with serum creatinine at 590 umol/L and bilateral 8 cm kidneys with thin and echogenic cortex. He had: (a) hypernatremic dehydration, metabolic acidosis and high ammonia level with (b) a history of multiple similar attacks since the age of 8 months. Diagnosis of MMA was confirmed by high serum and urine enzymatic levels as well as genetic testing. His initial management included support with replacements of fluids, electrolytes, and bicarbonates as well as intravenous dextrose, vitamin B12 and broad-spectrum antibiotic (Meropenem) for his chest infection. Subsequently, he received 1) CARBAGLU (carglumic acid) for 7 days to lower his ammonia level to <50 umol/L, 2) special protein-food formula devoid of methionine, threonine, valine and leucine, 3) supportive drugs viz. vitamin B12, sodium bicarbonate and L-carnitine. He improved clinically with a decrease in serum creatinine level to 380 umol/L that remains stable after 3 years of follow-up. Conclusion: Untreated homozygous MMA variants, can achieve adulthood with significant renal disease yet their morbidity and mortality can be ameliorated with diet and specific therapy....
Introduction: Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (HP1) is a rare lithiasis with systemic involvement, due to the accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals. In the absence of therapeutic management, it progresses to end-stage chronic renal failure. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse the observations of our patients with HP1. Patients and methods: This is a retrospective study carried out between 2014 and 2023 in the Nephrology-Dialysis Transplant Department of the Ibn Sina University Hospital in Rabat. The clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary elements were taken from the patients’ medical records. Results: We collected 11 cases, with a mean age of 27 ± 8.5 years and a M/F sex ratio of 1.7. The diagnosis of HP1 was made on the basis of genetic analysis in 8 patients, morphological and spectro-photometric analysis of the calculus in one patient, biopsy of the graft in one patient and crystalluria and a family history of PH1 in one patient. Two patients died, and 8 patients were on chronic haemdialysis with systemic damage. Only one patient maintained a stable GFR at 60 ml/min. Conclusion: Early diagnosis combined with conservative treatment is the only way to limit the rapid progression of this disease. This requires awareness and collaboration between nephrologists, urologists and biologists within a specialised team....
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