Candidemia and acute renal failure following radical cystectomy: A case report

A 73-year-old man underwent neoadjuvant gemcitabine-cisplatin chemotherapy followed by robotic radical cystectomy and ileal conduit for muscle invasive bladder cancer. On postoperative day 5, he developed oliguria, acute renal failure (peak creatinine 700 µmol/L). Blood and urine cultures grew Candida albicans, treated with intravenous micafungin and oral fluconazole. Renal function normalized and candidemia cleared in 5 days, and he was subsequently discharged on day 26 with baseline renal function. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of post-radical cystectomy severe candidemia sepsis presenting primarily as acute renal failure and managed successfully without long-term complications. We recommend that clinicians maintain a high index of suspicion and consider early empirical antifungal therapy when clinically indicated.