What is a common cause of cortical intrarenal failure?

Cortical intrarenal failure, also known as acute tubular necrosis (ATN), is often a result of damage that occurs within the renal cortex, which is the outer portion of the kidney. Vascular damage is a common cause because it can lead to impaired blood flow to the nephrons, which are the functional units of the kidney. When blood flow is compromised, ischemia occurs, which can result in cellular injury and death within the tubular cells of the cortex.

The other options, while they can contribute to kidney dysfunction, do not directly cause cortical intrarenal failure in the same manner. Urethral obstruction primarily affects the urinary tract rather than the renal cortex itself, and while it can cause post-renal failure, it doesn't cause ischemic damage to the renal tissue directly. Post-surgical recovery can influence kidney function but is more closely associated with the overall stress on the body, dehydration, or potential complications related to surgery rather than direct cortical damage. Ureteral stones can lead to obstruction and subsequent hydronephrosis, affecting kidney function, but this is again more related to a post-renal failure scenario rather than the direct intrarenal damage which is characteristic of vascular injury in the renal cortex.