An interesting presentation of invasive bladder carcinoma as pseudo renal failure

Abstract

Ascites and oliguria with an increasing serum creatinine level are often observed in patients with acute renal failure. However, these symptoms are also noted in individuals with intraperitoneal urinary leakage and can be mistaken for acute renal failure. This rise in creatinine in such patients is called pseudo renal failure and it happens by a process of reverse peritoneal dialysis. In literature, the most commonly described condition that leads to this clinical picture is following a spontaneous or missed bladder perforation. We, herein, report a case of carcinoma of the bladder that presented with features resembling acute renal failure, which later turned out to be pseudo renal failure due to intraperitoneal urinary extravasation from a forniceal rupture. The patient was managed with emergency with a percutaneous drain followed by a percutaneous nephrostomy, which led to normalization of creatinine. Cystoscopy revealed the bladder growth in an intact small capacity bladder and biopsy confirmed it as a muscle invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Due to advanced nature of his malignancy, he underwent a palliative ileal conduit diversion but he later developed chest metastasis and ultimately succumbed to the disease. Intraperitoneal urinary leakage due to forniceal rupture presenting as pseudo renal failure is a rare presentation of carcinoma bladder. Sudden onset abdominal discomfort, increasing ascites, hematuria, and oliguria with elevated renal parameters needs consideration and exclusion of this entity. The diagnostic dilemma associated with this rare presentation along with the management and prognosis in such patients of carcinoma bladder are discussed.