Differential Diagnosis for Post-Operative Patient
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Obstruction of the ureteral stent: This is the most likely diagnosis given the patient's recent history of PCNL and the presence of a ureteral stent. The symptoms of nausea and weakness, along with the elevated creatinine level, suggest that the stent may be obstructed, leading to acute kidney injury.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Sepsis: The patient's elevated WBC count and symptoms of nausea and weakness could indicate a post-operative infection, which is a common complication after PCNL.
- Bleeding or hematoma: Although the patient's hemoglobin is currently at 11, which is not significantly low, the possibility of internal bleeding or a hematoma causing the patient's symptoms and renal impairment cannot be ruled out without further investigation.
- Acute kidney injury (AKI) from other causes: Other causes of AKI, such as medication-induced nephrotoxicity, contrast-induced nephropathy (if contrast was used during the procedure), or pre-renal causes like dehydration, should also be considered.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Septic shock: Although the patient's current presentation does not fully align with septic shock, missing this diagnosis could be fatal. Close monitoring and repeated assessments are crucial.
- Pulmonary embolism: Post-operative patients are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism, which can present with non-specific symptoms like weakness and could be masked by other post-operative complications.
- Retroperitoneal hemorrhage: A significant and potentially life-threatening complication that requires immediate intervention. The patient's symptoms and lab results do not strongly suggest this, but it cannot be missed.
Rare Diagnoses
- Tumor lysis syndrome: Although rare in this context, if the patient had an unrecognized renal tumor that was affected during the PCNL, tumor lysis syndrome could occur, leading to acute kidney injury.
- Allergic interstitial nephritis: An allergic reaction to medications, including antibiotics that might have been prescribed post-operatively, could cause interstitial nephritis, leading to renal impairment.