A rare cause of acute urinary retention: Anterior urethral stones

Abstract

Anterior urethra stones are extremely rare causes of acute urinary retention. The data of 34 adult patients who presented with acute urinary retention between August 2011 and September 2017 and treated with anterior urethra were evaluated retrospectively. Their ages, sizes of stones, locations, etiological factors, physical examination findings, treatment modalities, operation period and complications were analyzed. All the patients were male and the mean age was 46.9 ± 17.88 years. All of the stones evaluated in the study were single and the mean stone size was 12.17 ± 3.23 (6-19) mm. Location of the urethral calculi was fossa navicularis in 12 (35.3%) patients, bulbar urethra in 7 (20.6%) patients and penile urethra in 15 (44.1%) patients. A total of 20 patients had urinary calculi located in the other parts of the urinary system at the time of presentation. Stone of the 7 patients with fossa navicularis localized had been treated by intraurethral instillation of 2% lidocaine gel, the other 5 patients had been treated with ventral meatotomy. Urethral stone of the 7 patients with penile and bulbar urethra located was taken by the help of direct forceps without requiring any fragmentation operation. Other stones were treated with endoscopic holmium laser lithotripsy. As a result of surgery operations, urinary tract infection in 3 patients, urethrorrhagia in 2 patients and hematuria in 5 patients were observed. We consider that it is very important to keep anterior urethral stones in mind among differential diagnosis especially in male patients admitted with acute urinary retention. acute urinary retention.