title: Giant urethral calculus: a rare cause of acute urinary retention.
abstract: We present a case of a 98-yr-old woman with acute urinary retention secondary to a large urethral calculus. This is a unique cause of obstructive uropathy for several reasons. First, urethral calculi are extremely rare in American-born Caucasian females. Second, urethral stones in females are nearly always associated with underlying genitourinary pathology; however, subsequent work up failed to reveal any strictures, diverticula, or related processes that may have predisposed this patient to urethral calculus formation. The epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and emergency management of large urethral calculi are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D011859:Radiography; D000069877:Struvite; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D000069877:Struvite; D002119:Calcium Carbonate