From body piercing to acute kidney injury – a case report

Abstract

Acute kidney injury is an abrupt decline of renal function interfering with the body’s homeostasis. It most commonly occurs in neonates and children treated in intensive care units and undergoing extensive surgical procedures, especially cardiac surgery. Its aetiology is frequently complex, with infectious factors, toxic chemical activity and hydration and electrolyte imbalance occurring simultaneously and aggravating kidney injury. This study reports a case of a 17-year-old female patient in whom acute kidney injury was caused by a combination of factors, including sepsis, adverse effects of analgesic drugs and dehydration. Staphylococcus aureus infection caused by multiple-site piercings performed in a home setting resulted in the development of multiple skin abscesses, myometrial abscesses and a generalised infection. The patient’s condition warranted intensive antibiotic therapy and drainage of the myometrial abscesses. The therapy facilitated eradication of the infection foci and normalising renal function.

Keywords

• acute kidney injury
• sepsis
• body piercing