Purpose: Bladder stones is not a rare disease, however, the number of patients with bladder stones has decreased due to improvement of nutrition, hygiene, and optimal antibiotics. Bladder stones are typically found in adults with urinary stasis, such as foreign body, benign prostate hyperplasia, spinal cord injury, and urinary tract infection, and in children with congenital genito-urinary abnormality. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients with bladder stones.

Materials and Methods: Patients who had bladder stones between March 2009 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed (Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, Korea). We analyzed the presence of spinal cord injury, cancer, previous urinary tract calculi, and urinary tract infection associated with bladder stones and also investigated the largest diameter of bladder stone, and the number of bladder stones, as well as urine and blood culture.

Results: A total of 39 patients underwent cystolithotomy or cystolithotripsy. The most common presenting symptoms were voiding disturbance (n=15, 38.5%) and hematuria (n=10, 25.6%). Of these patients, 17 (43.3%) had positive growth of organisms. Of these organisms, Escherichia coli was found in five patients, Enterococcus fecalis in three patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in three patients, Klebsiella pneumoniae in two patients, Staphylococcus aureus in two patients, Proteus mirabilis in one patient, and Citrobacter in one patient.

Conclusions: We believe that urinary tract infection is a major risk factor in patients with bladder stones. Proper antibiotics would be required in order to reduce the risk of formation of bladder calculi. Further investigation will be needed.