Acute cortical necrosis

• Characterised by renal cortical cell death with sparing of the medullary portion of the kidney

• Rare complication and almost always associated with pregnancy especially in association with placental abruption in older multiparous women

• If the entire renal cortex is involved, renal failure is irreversible

• Renal failure from acute tubular necrosis is more common (75% of acute renal failure) and is reversible