DOI: 10.12890/2026_007277

Giant bladder calculus presenting as a rare cause of renal impairment in a young adult with substance use disorder

Authors

  • Eftychia Charatsi Internal Medicine Department, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Alexandros Kyriakides Second Department of Urology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Sismanogleio General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Stefanos Chrysanthakopoulos Internal Medicine Department, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Vasiliki Zisopoulou Internal Medicine Department, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Sofia Kalantzi Internal Medicine Department, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Lamprini Kosma Department of Radiology, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, Athens, Greece

echaratsi@gmail.com

Keywords

Bladder stones, substance use disorder, urinary retention, chronic kidney failure

Abstract

Background: Giant vesical calculi, defined as stones larger than 40 mm and weighing over 100 grams, are uncommon in young patients. In developed countries, only a limited number of case reports have been published, and no previous cases have been reported in patients with substance use disorder.
Case report: The rare case of a young male presenting with a giant bladder calculus causing obstructive nephropathy and renal impairment is reported. The patient had a history of substance use disorder, mainly opioids, and suffered from chronic urinary retention. Clinical and biochemical recovery was achieved after open cystolithotomy and antibiotic treatment for concomitant urinary infection.
Conclusion: Vesical lithiasis can occur in young individuals with chronic substance abuse due to urinary stasis. Opioids have been implicated in the development of chronic urinary retention. In severe cases, the progressive formation of giant stones can be complicated by chronic renal impairment, obstructive hydronephrosis and urinary tract infections. Surgical management with open cystolithotomy remains the gold standard treatment when not contraindicated.

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References

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Published

2026-07-13

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 8 (2026)

Categories

How to Cite

1.
Charatsi E, Kyriakides A, Chrysanthakopoulos S, Zisopoulou V, Kalantzi S, Kosma L. Giant bladder calculus presenting as a rare cause of renal impairment in a young adult with substance use disorder. EJCRIM [Internet]. 2026 Jul. 13 [cited 2026 Nov. 3];13(8). Available from: https://ejcrim.com/index.php/ejcrim/article/view/7277