Giant Ureteric and Staghorn Calculi in a Young-Adult Nigerian Male: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Ureteric calculi are usually small and solitary.The term “giant” has been applied to ureteric calculi that aremore than five cms in length and/or 50g or more in weight. These are uncommon and may present with few or no urological symptoms and might be ignored or be missed. OBJECTIVE: To present a rare case of a giant left ureteric calculus associated with an ipsilateral staghorn calculus. METHODS: A 31-year-old Nigerian male presented with recurrent left abdominal pain, dysuria, urinary frequency, and fever which had been on for 10 years. Patient was clinically evaluated. He had plain abdominal X-rays, abdominal ultrasonography and intravenous urography. He had to undergo nephrouterorectomy. RESULTS: Patient took analgesics and antibiotics purchased from patent chemist shops for relief of symptoms by himself. He was fit except for a hard cylindrical mass felt arising from the pelvis. Abdomino-pelvic ultrasound scan, plain abdominal X-ray and Intravenous urogram showed a giant ureteric calculus with an ipsilateral staghorn calculus in a nonfunctioning hydronephrotic left kidney. There was no evidence of underlying anatomic or metabolic abnormalities. He had left nephroureterectomy. The ureteric calculus measured 10.5 x 3.0cm and weighed 20.1gm. CONCLUSION: Giant ureteric calculi are rare. The association giant ureteric calculus with an ipsilateral staghorn renal calculus without underlying anatomic abnormalities appear not have been reported earlier.