Coexistence of emphysematous cystitis and bilateral emphysematous pyelonephritis: a case report and review of the literature

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a necrotizing infection characterized by the production of gas in the renal parenchyma, collecting system or perirenal tissue. Meanwhile, emphysematous cystitis (EC) is a clinical entity characterized by the presence of gas inside and around the bladder wall. Interestingly, although both diseases are common in patients with diabetes mellitus, these are rarely combined. We report a rare case of a 56-year-old diabetic male suffering from fever, headache and vomiting and in which a diagnosis of septic shock was established due to coexistence of EC and bilateral EPN. The emphysematous diseases improved with a conservative treatment approach using antibiotic therapy and glycemic control, we highlight that the nephrectomy was not necessary in our patient despite the fact that he presented risk factors that predict the failure of conservative treatment.