BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuPerirenal abscessPerinephric abscessPerirenal abscess is a pocket of pus around one or both kidneys. It is caused by an infection.AbscessAn abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Most perirenal abscesses are caused by a urinary tract infection that starts in the bladder. It then spreads to the kidney, and to the area around the kidney. Surgery in the urinary tract or reproductive system or a bloodstream infection can also lead to a perirenal abscess.Urinary tract infectionA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The biggest risk factor for perirenal abscess is kidney stones, by blockage of urine flow. This provides a place for an infection to grow. Bacteria tend to stick to the stones and antibiotics cannot kill the bacteria there.Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Stones are found in 20% to 60% of people with perirenal abscess. Other risk factors for perirenal abscess include:Diabetes DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Having an abnormal urinary tract Trauma to the kidney IV (intravenous) drug use Symptoms Symptoms of perirenal abscess include:Chills ChillsChills refers to feeling cold after being in a cold environment. The word can also refer to an episode of shivering along with paleness and feeling ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fever FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pain in the flank (side of the abdomen) or abdomen, which may extend to the groin or down the leg AbdomenAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sweating Exams and Tests The health care provider will examine you. You may have tenderness in the back or abdomen.Tests include:Blood culture CT scan of the abdomen CT scanAn abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ultrasound of the abdomen Ultrasound of the abdomenAbdominal ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It is used to look at organs in the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urinalysis UrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urine culture Treatment To treat perirenal abscess, the pus can be drained through a catheter that is placed through the skin or with surgery. Antibiotics should also be given, at first through a vein (IV), then can switch to pills when the infection starts improving. Outlook (Prognosis) In general, quick diagnosis and treatment of a perirenal abscess should lead to a good outcome. Kidney stones must be treated to avoid further infections.In rare cases, the infection can spread beyond the kidney area and into the bloodstream. This can be deadly. Possible Complications If you have kidney stones, the infection may not go away.You may need to have the infection surgically removed.You may have to have the kidney removed if infection cannot be cleared or is recurrent. This is rare. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if you have a history of kidney stones and develop: Abdominal pain Burning with urination Burning with urinationPainful urination is any pain, discomfort, or burning sensation when passing urine.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Chills Fever Urinary tract infection Prevention If you have kidney stones, ask your provider about the best way to treat them to avoid a perirenal abscess. If you undergo urologic surgery, keep the surgical area as clean as possible.Open ReferencesReferencesChambers HF, Sakoulas G. Staphylococcal infections. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 272.Cooper KL, Badalato DM, Rutman MP. Infections of the urinary tract. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 55.Nicolle LE. Urinary tract infection in adults. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 36.AllVideoImagesTogKidney anatomy - illustration The kidneys are responsible for removing wastes from the body, regulating electrolyte balance and blood pressure, and the stimulation of red blood cell production.Kidney anatomyillustrationKidney - blood and urine flow - illustration This is the typical appearance of the blood vessels (vasculature) and urine flow pattern in the kidney. The blood vessels are shown in red and the urine flow pattern in yellow.Kidney - blood and urine flowillustrationKidney anatomy - illustration The kidneys are responsible for removing wastes from the body, regulating electrolyte balance and blood pressure, and the stimulation of red blood cell production.Kidney anatomyillustrationKidney - blood and urine flow - illustration This is the typical appearance of the blood vessels (vasculature) and urine flow pattern in the kidney. The blood vessels are shown in red and the urine flow pattern in yellow.Kidney - blood and urine flowillustrationRelated Information Kidney stones(Condition)Urinary tract infection - adults(Condition)Kidney stones - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 1/1/2023 Reviewed By: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Perirenal abscessPerinephric abscessPerirenal abscess is a pocket of pus around one or both kidneys. It is caused by an infection.AbscessAn abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes Most perirenal abscesses are caused by a urinary tract infection that starts in the bladder. It then spreads to the kidney, and to the area around the kidney. Surgery in the urinary tract or reproductive system or a bloodstream infection can also lead to a perirenal abscess.Urinary tract infectionA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The biggest risk factor for perirenal abscess is kidney stones, by blockage of urine flow. This provides a place for an infection to grow. Bacteria tend to stick to the stones and antibiotics cannot kill the bacteria there.Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Stones are found in 20% to 60% of people with perirenal abscess. Other risk factors for perirenal abscess include:Diabetes DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Having an abnormal urinary tract Trauma to the kidney IV (intravenous) drug use Symptoms Symptoms of perirenal abscess include:Chills ChillsChills refers to feeling cold after being in a cold environment. The word can also refer to an episode of shivering along with paleness and feeling ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fever FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Pain in the flank (side of the abdomen) or abdomen, which may extend to the groin or down the leg AbdomenAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sweating Exams and Tests The health care provider will examine you. You may have tenderness in the back or abdomen.Tests include:Blood culture CT scan of the abdomen CT scanAn abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Ultrasound of the abdomen Ultrasound of the abdomenAbdominal ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It is used to look at organs in the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urinalysis UrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Urine culture Treatment To treat perirenal abscess, the pus can be drained through a catheter that is placed through the skin or with surgery. Antibiotics should also be given, at first through a vein (IV), then can switch to pills when the infection starts improving. Outlook (Prognosis) In general, quick diagnosis and treatment of a perirenal abscess should lead to a good outcome. Kidney stones must be treated to avoid further infections.In rare cases, the infection can spread beyond the kidney area and into the bloodstream. This can be deadly. Possible Complications If you have kidney stones, the infection may not go away.You may need to have the infection surgically removed.You may have to have the kidney removed if infection cannot be cleared or is recurrent. This is rare. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your provider if you have a history of kidney stones and develop: Abdominal pain Burning with urination Burning with urinationPainful urination is any pain, discomfort, or burning sensation when passing urine.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Chills Fever Urinary tract infection Prevention If you have kidney stones, ask your provider about the best way to treat them to avoid a perirenal abscess. If you undergo urologic surgery, keep the surgical area as clean as possible.Open ReferencesReferencesChambers HF, Sakoulas G. Staphylococcal infections. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 272.Cooper KL, Badalato DM, Rutman MP. Infections of the urinary tract. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 55.Nicolle LE. Urinary tract infection in adults. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 36.