Renal failure

Renal failure, also kidney failure, is dysfunction of the kidneys.

Nodular glomerulosclerosis in diabetes, a common cause of chronic renal failure. H&E stain. (WC/KGH)

It can be subdivided in a number of different ways.

Acutity

• Acute kidney injury (abbreviated AKI) - previously acute renal failure (abbreviated ARF).
• Chronic renal failure (CRF).

Acute kidney injury

• Acute tubular necrosis.
• Acute cardiac failure, e.g. myocardial infarction.
• Cholesterol embolism.
• Hepatorenal syndrome.

Chronic renal failure

• Diabetic nephropathy (diabetes mellitus).
• IgA nephropathy.
• Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
• Lupus nephritis (systemic lupus erythematosus).
• Wegener's granulomatosis.
• Chronic cardiac insufficiency (congestive heart failure).

Note:

• The cause of end-stage renal disease (like end-stage liver disease) may be difficult to determine.

Anatomical cause

Renal failure 101:

• Pre-renal.
• Renal.
• Post-renal.

Pre-renal

• Hypotension due to blood loss (e.g. blunt force trauma, sharp force trauma, gunshot wound).
• Reduced cardiac output, e.g. myocardial infarction.
• Renal artery stenosis.

Renal

• Diabetic nephropathy.
• Lupus nephritis.

Post-renal

• Nodular hyperplasia of the prostate.
• Obstruction due to abdominal malignancy.
• Posterior urethral valves.

See also

• Medical renal disease.
• End-stage kidney.