[Pyonephrosis: 44 cases in Senegal].

Purpose: To report epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical features of pyonephrosis and describe current management methods in Senegal.

Patients and methods: This retrospective study includes a series of patients admitted for pyonephrosis to the Urology Department of the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar between 1995 and 2009. The following information was collected for each patient: age, sex, clinical manifestations, diagnostic findings, treatment modalities and outcomes.

Results: A total of 44 patients with a mean age of 34 years were included. The most common clinical manifestations were acute flank pain, sepsis and renal mass. Diagnostic was usually based on medical imaging, i.e., renal utrasonography and computed tomography. Urolithiasis was the underlying etiology in 73.2% of cases. Nephrectomy was performed in 83% of cases with or without preliminary nephrostomy catheterization.

Conclusion: Development of both diagnostic (medical imaging) and therapeutic methods for management of pyonephrosis has been consistent with the rarity of this condtion in Senegal.