Table of contents:
- Definition
- What is a kidney abscess?
- How common is this condition?
- Signs and Symptoms
- What are the signs and symptoms?
- When should I see a doctor?
- Cause
- What causes a kidney abscess?
- Triggers
- What increases my risk of developing this condition?
- Diagnosis and treatment
- How is this disease diagnosed?
- What are the ways to treat a kidney abscess?
- Antibiotics
- Drain pus from the abscess
Definition
What is a kidney abscess?
Kidney abscess is a type of kidney disease in the form of a collection of pus that crystallizes like gravel around the kidney. This pus appears due to infection of the soft tissue around the kidney or infection of the peripheral kidney tissue.
This condition is a rare disease and is caused by trauma and infection associated with kidney stones.
Renal abscess is divided into two types, namely microscopic and macroscopic abscesses. Microscopic abscess is pus that sticks to the renal tissue. This type is usually quite rare and can lead to kidney failure.
Meanwhile, a macroscopic abscess is a collection of pus visible in the renal tissue. This disease is usually accompanied by acute kidney infection (pyelonephritis) and causes vasospasm and kidney inflammation.
How common is this condition?
Kidney abscess can happen to anyone, regardless of age and gender. Even so, people with diabetes are more at risk and occupy a third of all cases.
This condition can actually be treated by reducing risk factors. Always discuss with your urologist for more information.
Signs and Symptoms
What are the signs and symptoms?
Some of the signs and symptoms of a kidney abscess include:
- fever,
- body trembling and shivering,
- stomach ache,
- weight loss,
- pain when urinating,
- bloody urine (hematuria), as well
- sweating more frequently.
When should I see a doctor?
Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent this disease, one of which is a kidney failure diet. Therefore, you should immediately see a doctor as soon as you experience some of the symptoms of kidney disease above.
If you have signs or symptoms that are not mentioned, consult your doctor to get the right treatment.
Cause
What causes a kidney abscess?
Generally, kidney abscesses are caused by bacteria that infect the kidneys. These bacteria enter through the blood or urine and return to the kidneys. After entering the kidneys, the bacteria spread to the surrounding tissue.
This condition is not a common disease, but occurs due to other health conditions, namely:
- urinary tract infection (UTI),
- bacteremia, which is the spread of bacteria through the blood,
- mycoplasma infection,
- urinary tract stones causing damage to the ureters accompanied by infection,
- inflammation of the kidneys causes infection of the kidneys which can form pus, as well
- vesicoureteral reflux, the flow of urine back to the kidneys from the bladder.
In some cases, this disease is caused by infection in other parts of the body. For example, an abscess on the skin caused by injection drug abuse can form pus in the kidney.
Triggers
What increases my risk of developing this condition?
There are various factors that can increase a person's risk of developing a kidney abscess, namely:
- diabetes,
- pregnancy,
- patients over 65 years of age,
- autoimmune disease, and
- kidney stones.
Diagnosis and treatment
How is this disease diagnosed?
If your doctor suspects that you have a kidney abscess, he will usually do a physical test first. Then, you will be asked to undergo a kidney examination to determine the following treatment options.
- Urine test to find protein, blood, or bacteria in the urine
- Blood tests to see the amount of hemoglobin, white blood cells, and others
- X-rays if there is a large amount of pus around the kidneys
- Ultrasound to see the size of the kidneys, whether normal or not
- CT and MRI scans to differentiate between abscesses inside the kidney and outside the kidney
What are the ways to treat a kidney abscess?
After the results of the examination are out, the treatment of this kidney disease depends on the size and condition of the abscess. Here are some of the treatment options you will receive.
Antibiotics
One way to treat a kidney abscess is to use antibiotics, either in the form of an oral or an injection. Antibiotics are more often given directly to the blood via IV (intravenously).
The length of time the drug will be used depends on the health condition and the bacteria in your urine. If the symptoms of kidney infection begin to improve, you may still need antibiotics for a week.
Always follow the instructions for using the medicine from the doctor and finish the antibiotics given so that the infection is completely gone.
A kidney abscess is treated with antibiotics that are given by blood via IV ("intravenous") and / or by draining pus from the abscess.
Drain pus from the abscess
Apart from giving antibiotics, kidney abscesses can also be treated by removing pus from the tissue around the kidneys.
This method usually uses the help of a urine catheter that is inserted through a needle in the skin over the kidney. Then, the doctor will see if the needle is in the kidney or not with an X-ray.
Despite being a frequently used treatment, in recent years antibiotics have been seen as more effective, especially when the disease is detected early.
If you have further questions, please consult your doctor to get the right treatment.
