Fungus ball in the urinary tract: A rare entity

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Mycology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Fungal balls (fungus balls) in the urinary tract are uncommon but severe complications of candiduria.
• These infections predominantly affect immunocompromised patients.
• Fungus balls can lead to serious conditions like hydronephrosis and sepsis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report two cases of urinary tract fungus balls.
• To highlight the varied clinical presentations and treatment challenges.
• To discuss the necessity of tailored treatment approaches based on anatomical factors.

Main Methods:

• Case report of two patients with urinary tract fungus balls.
• Treatment involved prompt relief of obstruction via nephrostomy and antifungal agents for the first patient.
• The second patient required open surgery for fungus ball removal and ureteral reimplantation due to distal ureteral stenosis.

Main Results:

• The first patient responded well to nephrostomy and antifungal treatment.
• The second patient did not respond to initial conservative management and required surgical intervention.
• Successful urinary tract drainage was achieved in both cases, albeit with different modalities.

Conclusions:

• Urinary tract fungus balls are a significant clinical challenge.
• While antifungal therapy and obstruction relief are primary treatments, anatomical abnormalities may necessitate surgical management.
• Individualized treatment strategies are crucial for managing complex cases of urinary tract fungal infections.