Acute tubular necrosis or (ATN) is a medical condition involving the death of tubular cells that form the tubule that transports urine to the ureters while reabsorbing 99% of the water (and highly concentrating the salts and metabolic byproducts). Tubular cells continually replace themselves and if the cause of ATN is removed then recovery is likely. ATN presents with acute renal failure (ARF) and is one of the most common causes of ARF. The pres...
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Acute tubular necrosis or (ATN) is a medical condition involving the death of tubular cells that form the tubule that transports urine to the ureters while reabsorbing 99% of the water (and highly concentrating the salts and metabolic byproducts). Tubular cells continually replace themselves and if the cause of ATN is removed then recovery is likely. ATN presents with acute renal failure (ARF) and is one of the most common causes of ARF. The presence of "muddy brown casts" of epithelial cells found in the urine during urinalysis is pathognomonic for ATN.
It may be classified as either toxic or ischemic. Toxic ATN occurs when the tubular cells are exposed to a toxic substance (nephrotoxic ATN). Ischemic ATN occurs when the tubular cells do not get enough oxygen, a condition that they are highly sensitive and susceptible to, due to their very high metabolism.
Acute Tubular Necrosis is classified as a "renal" (i.e. not pre-renal or post-renal) cause of Acute Renal Failure. Diagnosis is...
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