Renal papillary necrosis

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Kidney anatomy

Kidney - blood and urine flow

Necrosis - renal papillae; Renal medullary necrosis

There is no specific treatment for renal papillary necrosis. If analgesic nephropathy is suspected as the cause, stop the use of suspected medications. This may allow healing over time.

If nephropathy is a result of diabetes or sickle cell anemia, control of these disorders is important to reduce renal papillary necrosis. Renal failure should be treated as appropriate. The treatment of chronic or recurrent urinary tract infections may include antibiotics.

The probable outcome varies. If the underlying disorder can be controlled, the condition may go away on its own. The progression to renal failure is also possible.

• Chronic or recurrent UTI
• Acute renal failure
• Chronic renal failure
• Acute unilateral obstructive uropathy
• Chronic unilateral obstructive uropathy
• Acute bilateral obstructive uropathy
• Chronic bilateral obstructive uropathy
• Metabolic acidosis
• Hyperkalemia
• Hypovolemia

Call for an appointment with your health care provider any time there is bloody urine. Also call if other symptoms of renal papillary necrosis develop, especially after taking over-the-counter analgesics (pain medications).

Review Date: 09/13/2005
Reviewed By: Robert Mushnick, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, SUNY Downstate Health Center, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.