Gas-containing renal stone in the oldest reported healthy patient: A case report

Abstract

Background: Gas-containing renal stones represent a rare form of nephrolithiasis that is distinct from the more commonly reported emphysematous infections of the urinary tract. The presence of gas within a renal calculus may raise concern for emphysematous pyelonephritis or pyelitis and reflects a complex interaction between infection and lithogenesis.

Case presentation: We report the oldest patient described to date with a gas-containing renal stone. The patient presented with loin pain without hematuria or dysuria, diagnosed to have a renal stone by CT scan, which showed a large renal stone with a peripheral part of bone density and a central part of air density, with no air within the collecting system. She was managed successfully by a conservative method, highlighting the potential for a benign clinical course for this type of renal stone regardless of age.

Conclusion: Gas within the renal stones doesn't always mean the patient has a serious illness. The type of treatment depends on the symptoms and whether or not the patient has an emphysematous infection.