acute tubular necrosis

acute tubular necrosis (ATN),

acute renal failure with mild to severe damage or necrosis of tubule cells, usually resulting from nephrotoxicity, ischemia after major surgery, trauma (crush syndrome ), severe hypovolemia, sepsis, or burns. See also renal failure.

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necrosis [nĕ-kro´sis, ne-kro´sis] (Gr.)

the morphological changes indicative of cell death caused by enzymatic degradation.

aseptic necrosis necrosis without infection or inflammation.

acute tubular necrosis acute renal failure with mild to severe damage or necrosis of tubule cells, usually secondary to either nephrotoxicity, ischemia after major surgery, trauma (see crush syndrome), severe hypovolemia, sepsis, or burns. See also lower nephron nephrosis.

Balser's fatty necrosis gangrenous pancreatitis with omental bursitis and disseminated patches of necrosis of fatty tissues.

bridging necrosis septa of confluent necrosis bridging adjacent central veins of hepatic lobules and portal triads characteristic of subacute hepatic necrosis.

caseous necrosis caseation (def. 2).

central necrosis necrosis affecting the central portion of an affected bone, cell, or lobule of the liver.

cheesy necrosis caseation (def. 2).

coagulation necrosis death of cells, the protoplasm of the cells becoming fixed and opaque by coagulation of the protein elements, the cellular outline persisting for a long time.

colliquative necrosis liquefactive necrosis.

fat necrosis necrosis in which fat is broken down into fatty acids and glycerol, usually occurring in subcutaneous tissue as a result of trauma.

liquefactive necrosis necrosis in which the necrotic material becomes softened and liquefied.

massive hepatic necrosis massive, usually fatal, necrosis of the liver, a rare complication of viral hepatitis (fulminant hepatitis) that may also result from exposure to hepatotoxins or from drug hypersensitivity.

moist necrosis necrosis in which the dead tissue is wet and soft.

postpartum pituitary necrosis see postpartum pituitary necrosis.

selective myocardial cell necrosis myofibrillar degeneration.

subcutaneous fat necrosis of newborn a benign, self-limited disease affecting term newborns and young infants, characterized by circumscribed, indurated, nodular areas of fat necrosis. It is thought to be related to trauma on bony prominences during delivery, hypothermia, asphyxia, or maternal diabetes; it usually resolves spontaneously by 2 to 4 weeks with no scarring. Called also adiponecrosis neonatorum or subcutanea.

Zenker's necrosis hyaline degeneration and necrosis of striated muscle; called also Zenker's degeneration.

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acute tubular necrosis

Nephrology A pathologic change of acute renal failure due to shock, crush injuries, hemoglobinuria, toxic nephrosis, sepsis, drugs-aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, cyclosporine, radiocontrast, ischemia in transplanted kidneys Predisposing conditions DM, liver disease; ATN in transplanted kidneys is managed in an expectant fashion as renal function may resume spontaneously in 2-4 wks