Obstructive Acute Renal Failure: Treatment and Prognostic Factors

Abstract

Urinary obstruction is a rare cause of acute renal failure treated in intensive care. Urinary obstruction induces a reduction in glomerular filtration rate. After the release of obstruction, there is a risk of occurrence of the post-obstructive diuresis syndrome and of persistence of chronic renal sequelae. The diagnosis of obstructive acute renal failure is usually simple and in half cases, the obstruction is due to cancer. If electrolyte disorders may sometimes require a prior management, the treatment is based on the release of urinary obstruction. The post-obstructive diuresis syndrome, which occurs in 60% of cases in ICU patients and lasts about 2 days, must be treated in a unit where close monitoring is possible. Its occurrence is associated with renal recovery. The evolution towards chronic end-stage renal failure is rare.