Acute Papillary Necrosis

• A useful mnemonic device for the conditions associated with renal papillary necrosis is POSTCARDS, which stands for the following:

• Pyelonephritis

• Obstruction of the urinary tract

• Sickle cell hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell trait

• Tuberculosis

• Cirrhosis of the liver, chronic alcoholism

• Analgesic abuse

• Renal transplant rejection, radiation

• Diabetes mellitus

• Systemic vasculitis