Vanishing Kidney: On the Far End of the Spectrum of Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis.

This article discusses a rare and severe form of chronic pyelonephritis called xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP). XGP is characterized by the destruction of the renal parenchyma and granulomatous inflammation. The article presents a case study of a 58-year-old man with XGP and renal sinus replacement lipomatosis, in which the renal parenchyma has almost completely disappeared. The patient had a history of diabetes mellitus and renal nephrolithiasis. The article describes the clinical presentation, imaging findings, and microscopic examination of the patient's condition. The authors propose the term "vanishing kidney" for this unique case, as the kidney parenchyma was not detectable radiologically or microscopically. The article also discusses the classification, stages, and complications of XGP, as well as the rare occurrence of Actinomyces infection in XGP. [Extracted from the article]