Infected calcium oxalate stone leading to pyogenic spondylodiscitis and bilateral lower limb weakness: a case report

It is rare for calcium oxalate renal stone, presented mainly in sterile urine, to result in urinary tract infection. The stone-related infection could develop spondylodiscitis, causing neurological deficits. To date, there are no reports about calcium oxalate partial staghorn stone and spondylodiscitis.

A 62-year-old male suffered from haematuria, fever, and flank pain. He came to the urology outpatient department, where acute pyelonephritis was diagnosed, and a left partial staghorn stone was seen on computed tomography. Oral antibiotics were prescribed with improvement. Two weeks after antibiotics treatment, he developed bilateral lower limb weakness and numbness under the nipple level. He was brought to the emergency department, where the spine MRI revealed T2-T3 spondylodiscitis with epidural abscess and spinal cord compression. He underwent T2-T3 spine operation with improvement in muscle power and hypesthesia. The culture of the surgical lesion yielded Citrobacter koseri, the same as the urine culture obtained at his first visit. Left-side percutaneous nephrolithotomy was performed 1 month after with successful stone removal and resolution of pyuria. Stone analyses reported calcium oxalate. Follow-up MRI showed marked improvement with resolution of spondylodiscitis.

Urinary tract infection resulting from partial staghorn stone, with additional hematogenous spread causing spondylodiscitis, is scarcely discussed. The authors illustrated a case with calcium oxalate stone, belonging to sterile Jensen's classification type 1. However, a urinary tract infection could be seen in urine stasis or obstruction.

With accurate diagnosis and essential interventions, the patient had immediate neurological improvement and reached disease-free status.