Giant bladder uric acid stone with a history of prolonged sun exposure and high protein diet in North Moluccas: Case series

Abstract

Introduction: Giant bladder uric acid stone cases that have more than 4 cm in diameters and weighing more than 100 g are considered rare.

Presentation of cases: At the end of 2019, two men presented with chronic lower abdominal pain since five years ago. Abdominal radiography found a giant opaque mass inside the bladder. Open suprapubic cystolithotomy was performed by a general surgeon. Both giant bladder stones were extracted and measured approximately 11 × 7 × 6 cm and 500 g in weight. More than 80 % of stone composition was uric acid. Neither of the patients developed severe complications after the procedure.

Discussion: Our patients had a history of prolonged sun exposure related to occupation and high protein intake. Benign prostatic hyperplasia as a major underlying cause for stone formation was not found in the digital rectal examination. Prostatectomy was not performed. Uric acid stone is common in Southeast Asia, with a multifactorial pathogenesis.

Conclusions: Open suprapubic cystolithotomy is the best method to extract giant bladder stones in limited settings in the rural areas of Indonesia. It was likely that the most important factors associated with the stone formation were the climate and dietary habits. The findings showed that pathogenesis of bladder stone formation and particularly, uric acid bladder stone is still not clearly understood.

Keywords: Giant bladder stone; High protein diet; Open cystolithotomy; Sun exposure; Uric acid.