CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE
(CRF)DEFINITIONS:
Chronic renal failure is a progressive loss of kidney functions due
to progressive damage of kidney tissue by a disease involving the two
kidneys.
In chronic renal failure, there is a persistent and irreversible
reduction in the overall renal function. Not only the excretory functions
are disturbed but also the endocrine and the haemopoietic functions as
well as the regulation of acid-base balance become abnormal. These
derangements in the internal environment (internal milieu) of the body
will result in the uraemic syndrome.
Disease involving one kidney (even if very severe and damaging
this kidney) will not result in renal impairment or failure as the other
kidney is capable to maintain the internal milieu or environment within
normal. In this setting we may say compromised or non-functioning right
or left kidney (according to the kidney damaged right or left). Sometimes
we say solitary functioning right or left kidney (according to the side of
the healthy kidney).
AETIOLOGY OF CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE:
The common causes of CFR are diabetic nephropathy, chronic
pyelonephritis, obstructive uropathy, reflux nephropathy, chronic
glomerulonephritis and polycystic kidney disease. The complete list of
causes include the following: