An unusual consequence of urinary catheter neglect: A giant bladder stone

Introduction: Indwelling urinary catheters cause a variety of complications including infections, pain and bleeding. Sometimes, the catheter becomes encrusted and blocked. Case Report: A 66-year-old male was presented with increasing suprapubic pain for about two months because of a poorly draining Foley catheter. Two years earlier, the patient had undergone a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) gland. He was given a Foley catheter and asked to follow-up in a week. He did not follow-up or change the catheter for two years. The catheter could not be removed. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed a large encrustation of 5.0x5.2x5.5 cm surrounding the Foley. The patient underwent open suprapubic cystostomy with intact retrieval of stone along with the catheter. Conclusion: Indwelling Foley catheters frequently become encrusted and may become difficulty to remove. The developments of giant encrustations are unusual. Such giant encrustations usually need surgery for removal.