Causes Of Acute Nephritis

Urinary Exams Using A Cystoscope

An individual who has frequent exams of their urinary tract through a cystoscope may develop acute nephritis as a complication of their procedure. A cystoscopy is a diagnostic procedure used to view and examine a patient's urethra, ureter openings, and bladder. A cystoscope is a long, hollow, thin instrument that is maneuvered through the patient's urethra, into their bladder, and through their ureters.

A special type of cystoscopy involves the injection of a contrast media or dye into the ureters so the structures and organs in the urinary tract will be represented better on an x-ray. Some individuals who have this type of cystoscopy may have an abnormal reaction to the presence of a cystoscope and or the contrast media injected into their urinary tract. In these rare cases, the immune system responds in an extreme and abnormal fashion, producing swelling and inflammation in the ureters and kidney tissues. This procedure-precipitated inflammation is a form of acute nephritis.

History Of Cancer

Cancer is a life-threatening disease where cells that multiply and grow rapidly take over and damage the tissues in the organs and body. However, powerful and potent methods of treatment are available for individuals who develop malignancy in their bodies. Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses a cocktail of one or more extremely powerful medications that target all cells in the process of cell division. The cells inside of the kidneys have some of the highest turnover rates in the body because they have one of the hardest jobs in the body.

Because these cells are dividing more than others around the body to replace the cells that are destroyed, chemotherapy causes more damage in the kidney tissues than other parts of the body. Radiation therapy is another cancer treatment that can produce inflammation and damage in the kidney tissues when it is used on the abdomen or pelvic area. The prior use of these treatments in patients who have had cancer can cause them to develop acute nephritis.