BACKGROUND: Patients with poorly regulated diabetes mellitus may develop severe infectious complications.
In this article we describe a diabetic patient with urosepsis, complicated by emphysematous pyelonephritis and endogenous endophthalmitis.
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 42-year-old diabetic woman presented with drowsiness and flank pain at the right side. She turned out to have diabetic ketoacidosis and urosepsis caused by Escherichia coli. Ultrasonography and CT scan of the abdomen showed subcapsulary gas configurations in the right kidney, which fit with the diagnosis of emphysematous pyelonephritis. Two days later, the patient complained of severe pain of the left eye with photophobia and blurred vision. The diagnosis of endogenous endophthalmitis was made. Treatment consisted of vitrectomy of the left eye, silicone oil injection and intravitreal and systemic antibiotics. The pyelonephritis was treated with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage.
CONCLUSION: Both endogenous endophthalmitis and emphysematous pyelonephritis are rare complications of infection, which can result in severe damage to the eye and kidney. Treatment comprises both local and systemic therapy. With the increasing number of diabetics, we can expect more rare complications.
Written by:
Klouwens MJ, Blok WL, Witmer AN, Verouden CJ, Mura M. Are you the author?
Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam.
Reference: Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2013;157(7):A5243.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23406637
Article in Dutch.
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