J2

KIDNEY - Papillary necrosis

Description
This a kidney, reduced in size possibly by chronic pyonephritis; the acute changes of papillary necrosis can be seen; the tips of the papilli are demarcated by a zone of necrotic tissue, yellowish in colour, while the tips of the papilli are black due to haemorrhagic necrosis. This particular patient had a long history of rheumatoid arthritis with a five-year history of intermittent renal failure. She had taken large quantities of A.P.C. (codeine) over the years.