title: Giant bladder stone in a natural mummy of the early 19th century.
abstract: We present a case of a giant bladder stone, 7.5 cm in diameter, found in the pelvis of a 19th-century natural mummy from Borgo Cerreto (central Italy). We used microchemical energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis and x-ray diffraction to define the mineral composition of the stone and obtain information about its internal structure. Chemical analysis showed a mixed composition. The internal layers contained mostly ammonium acid urate, whereas the external layers were composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite). Our research suggests a metabolic origin for the calculosis, with superimposed infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paleopathology, History of Medicine and Bioethics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. v.giuffra@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giuffra
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costantini Biasini
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caramella
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fornaciari
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009106:Mummies; D001744:Urinary Bladder Calculi / Q000473:pathology*