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Oliguria
 
 
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Oliguria and anuria are the decreased or absent production of urine
Urine

Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the kidneys by a process of filtration from blood called urination and excreted through the urethra....
, respectively. The decreased production of urine may be a sign of dehydration
Dehydration

Dehydration is the removal of water from an object. In Physiology terms, it entails a relative deficiency of water molecules in relation to other dissolved solutes....
, renal failure
Renal failure

Renal failure or kidney failure is a situation in which the kidneys fail to function adequately. It is divided in acute and chronic forms; either form may be due to a large number of other medical problems....
 or urinary obstruction/urinary retention
Urinary retention

Urinary retention also known as ischuria is a lack of ability to urinate. It is a common complication of Benign prostatic hyperplasia , although anticholinergics may also play a role, and requires a catheter or Prostatic stent....
.








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Oliguria and anuria are the decreased or absent production of urine
Urine

Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the kidneys by a process of filtration from blood called urination and excreted through the urethra....
, respectively. The decreased production of urine may be a sign of dehydration
Dehydration

Dehydration is the removal of water from an object. In Physiology terms, it entails a relative deficiency of water molecules in relation to other dissolved solutes....
, renal failure
Renal failure

Renal failure or kidney failure is a situation in which the kidneys fail to function adequately. It is divided in acute and chronic forms; either form may be due to a large number of other medical problems....
 or urinary obstruction/urinary retention
Urinary retention

Urinary retention also known as ischuria is a lack of ability to urinate. It is a common complication of Benign prostatic hyperplasia , although anticholinergics may also play a role, and requires a catheter or Prostatic stent....
.

Definition

Oliguria is defined as a urine output that is less than 1 mL/kg/h in infants, less than 0.5 mL/kg/h in children, and less than 400 mL/day (equals 17mL/hour) in adults.

Olig- (or oligo-) is a Greek prefix meaning small or few.

Pathophysiology

The pathophysiologic mechanisms causing oliguria can be categorized globally in three different categories:

  • Prerenal: in response to hypoperfusion of the kidney (e.g. as a result of dehydration
    Dehydration

    Dehydration is the removal of water from an object. In Physiology terms, it entails a relative deficiency of water molecules in relation to other dissolved solutes....
     by poor oral intake, diarrhea
    Diarrhea

    In medicine, diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea , is characterized by frequent loose or liquid bowel movements. The spelling of "diarrhea" is an appropriation of the Greek "diarrhoia" meaning "a flowing through." ....
    , massive bleeding
    Bleeding

    Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood from the circulatory system. Bleeding can occur internally, where blood leaks from blood vessels inside the body or externally, either through a natural opening such as the vagina, Mouth , nose, or anus, or through a break in the skin....
     or sepsis
    Sepsis

    Sepsis, is a serious medicine condition characterized by a whole-body Inflammation state and the presence of a known or suspected infection.    )
  • Renal: due to kidney damage (severe hypoperfusion, rhabdomyolysis
    Rhabdomyolysis

    Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue due to injury to muscle tissue. The muscle damage may be caused by physical , chemical, or biological factors....
    , medication
    Medication

    A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine or medicament, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease....
    )
  • Postrenal: as a consequence of obstruction of the urine flow (e.g. enlarged prostate, tumour compression urinary outflow, expanding hematoma
    Hematoma

    A hematoma, or haematoma, is a collection of blood outside the blood vessels, generally the result of hemorrhage, or more specifically, internal bleeding....
     or fluid collection)


Postoperative oliguria

Patients usually have decrease in urine output after a major operation that may be a normal physiological response to:
  • fluid/ blood loss – decreased glomerular filtration rate secondary to hypovolemia and/or hypotension
  • response of adrenal cortex to stress -increase in aldosterone
    Aldosterone

    Aldosterone is a hormone that increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release of potassium in the kidneys. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, and drives blood pressure up....
     (Na and water retention) and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) release


Oliguria in infants

Oliguria, when defined as less than 1 mL/kg/h, in infant
Infant

An infant or baby is the term used to refer to the young offspring of humans....
s is not considered to be a reliable sign of renal failure.