Reflex anuria from unilateral ureteral obstruction

A 20-year-old woman had 18 hours of pain and anuria associated with a calcium oxalate stone impacted in the distal left ureter. The stone passed spontaneously and the urine output returned. There was no abnormality of the right kidney on excretory urography. We believe that this is a cause of reflex anuria not previously described. Severe pain may be the initiating event in this unusual but interesting syndrome and mechanisms proposed by previous authors are reviewed.