Acute tubular necrosis
Renal and urinary system
Congenital disorders
Infectious, immunologic, and inflammatory disorders
Alport syndrome
Goodpasture syndrome
IgA nephropathy (NORD)
Lupus nephritis
Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
Amyloidosis
Diabetic nephropathy
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (NORD)
Lupus nephritis
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
Membranous nephropathy
Minimal change disease
Acute tubular necrosis
Renal papillary necrosis
Acute pyelonephritis
Chronic pyelonephritis
Lower urinary tract infection
Metabolic and regulatory disorders
Neoplasms
Traumatic and mechanical disorders
Vascular disorders
Other disorders
Renal and urinary system pathology review
Congenital renal disorders: Pathology review
Nephritic syndromes: Pathology review
Nephrotic syndromes: Pathology review
Urinary tract infections: Pathology review
Kidney stones: Pathology review
Renal failure: Pathology review
Renal tubular acidosis: Pathology review
Renal tubular defects: Pathology review
Renal and urinary tract masses: Pathology review
Urinary incontinence: Pathology review
Acid-base disturbances: Pathology review
Electrolyte disturbances: Pathology review
Summary
Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is a type of acute kidney injury (AKI) that results in the sudden and rapid death of tubular cells in the kidneys. This can lead to a decrease in urine production and an increase in the levels of creatinine and urea in the blood.
ATN may be caused by sepsis leading to hypotension and renal hypoperfusion; ischemia due to renal hypoperfusion, like in hypovolemic shock; but it can also be due to exposure to toxins and nephrotoxic drugs which cause damage to the tubular cells. Such drugs include nephrotoxic antibiotics, contrast agents used during imaging studies, amphotericin B, and toxic heavy metals.