Case study: renal abscess and back pain

Abstract Renal abscesses are commonly caused by an ascending urinary tract infection. Our patient presented with a mass on her back that had grown over five weeks and excruciating left flank pain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed a large 20cm left renal abscess demonstrating posterior perinephric extension into the subcutaneous soft tissues of the abdominal wall. Cultures of fluid from this abscess grew E. Coli. This mass drained massive amounts of purulent fluid with a Jackson-Pratt drainage left in place. We treated her with antibiotic therapy for almost one month. Our patient was unable to ambulate because of the severe