Abstract

Acute tubular necrosis is a major cause of acute renal failure. Acute renal failure that is caused by crystal deposition can result from drug toxicity, lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms, ingestion of industrial organic solvents, or intratubular obstruction due to degenerated red blood cells and red blood cell casts. We herein present an uncommon case of acute renal failure in a 57-year-old woman showing an unusually massive accumulation of variable-sized, round, ellipsoid or rhomboid, pale-pink, refractile bodies in the proximal and distal tubular epithelial cells, interstitial macrophages and Bowman's spaces. These bodies were electron dense with a maximum diameter of 3 micrometer. The information we gathered from the patient history, the laboratory data and the various histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses failed to reveal the exact nature of these crystal-like structures.

• Keywords: Kidney Failure;Acute-Kidney Tubular Necrosis;Acute-Crystal-like Structures