[Case of renal subcapsular hematoma caused by flexible transurethral lithotripsy]

A 39-year-old man with macroscopic hematuria was admitted to our hospital. A stone, 5 mm in diameter was detected in the right ureteropelvic junction after abdominal computed tomography and plain abdominal radiography. We performed flexible transurethral lithotripsy (f-TUL) and crushed the stone and extracted almost all stone fragments without any complications. However, almost immediately after the operation, the patient began to complain about pain in the right back. In the results of abdominal plain computed tomography right renal subcapsular hematoma was detected. Because active bleeding was not observed in the results of enhanced computed tomography, only conservative treatment was performed. The patient was discharged from the hospital on day 11 of hospitalization. One month after the operation, plain computed tomography was performed and diminished subcapsular hematoma was detected. Renal subcapsular hematoma is assumed to be a unique complication of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. This is the first report of a case of renal subcapsular hematoma caused by f-TUL. The onset of renal subcapsular hematoma following f-TUL could have been caused either because the laser fiber thrust into the renal lithiasis unintentionally or because the internal pressure of the renal pelvis increased substantially during the operation.