Bijoy Telivala, MD, MBBS

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare but life-threatening infection characterized by widespread necrosis and production of gas within the kidney.

A 26-year-old woman with dull left-sided chest pain, nausea, body aches, and low-grade fever is admitted to the hospital. She has been to other emergency departments (EDs) in the area recently with similar complaints and was sent home with diagnoses of anxiety and costochondritis.

A 26-year-old woman with dull left-sided chest pain, nausea, body aches, and low-grade fever is admitted to the hospital. She has been to other emergency departments (EDs) in the area recently with similar complaints and was sent home with diagnoses of anxiety and costochondritis.