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[Vesico-urethral lithiasis secondary to foreign body]
J R Recasens Guinjuan1, J J Flores González, J M Samsó Piñol
1Servicio de Urología, Hospital de Santa María, Lleida.
Actas Urologicas Espanolas
|May 7, 2002
Summary
A retained surgical gauze led to bladder and urethral stones (vesico-urethral lithiasis) 12 years after open prostate surgery. This rare iatrogenic complication highlights the importance of surgical material accountability.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Surgical Complications
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- Foreign body-induced urinary tract lithiasis is uncommon.
- Most cases involve self-inserted objects, often linked to autoerotic practices or psychiatric conditions.
- Iatrogenic causes, though less frequent, are increasingly reported.
Observation:
- A patient developed calcified foreign body (gauze) vesico-urethral lithiasis.
- The gauze was inadvertently left in the prostatic capsule during an open prostatectomy 12 years prior.
- The calculus formation occurred over a decade post-operatively.
Findings:
- The primary finding is a large vesico-urethral calculus formed around retained surgical gauze.
- This case represents a late-onset complication of an iatrogenic foreign body.
- Imaging and surgical exploration confirmed the presence and origin of the calculus.
Implications:
- Highlights the critical need for meticulous surgical counts and retention checks of foreign materials.
- Underscores the potential for delayed, severe complications from retained surgical items.
- Emphasizes the importance of considering iatrogenic causes in complex urinary lithiasis cases, even years after a procedure.