Classic (Oliguric) Acute Renal Failure

The syndrome of acute renal failure was first recognized during World War II. The sudden but ultimately reversible depression of renal function observed initially in victims of crush injuries,¹ and later in association with prolonged hypotension from various causes,^{2 , 3} was characterized as having an initial oliguric phase, which was followed in one to two weeks by a diuretic phase that heralded the onset of recovery. During the subsequent four decades, an extensive literature devoted to acute renal failure has provided an accurate description of the clinical, laboratory, and histopathological features of this injury. Only in . . .