Objective: To provide theoretic rationales for treatment and prevention of staghorn calculi by analyzing stone composition and studying the relationship between stone and urinary tract infections.
Methods: The clinical data of 51 staghorn calculi patients were analyzed retrospectively. The stone compositions were studied by infrared spectrophotometry.
Results: Six types of stone compositions were obtained. There were calcium oxalate monohydrate, calcium oxalate dehydrate, carbonate apatite, magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate, uric acid and L-cystine. The majority of stones were of mixed compositions, pure stones were found in 15 cases (29.4%). Among all stones, calcium oxalate stones were found in 41 cases (80.4%) and uric stones in 10 cases (19.6%). Infectious stones were found in 26 cases (51.0%). Urinary tract infections were found in 40 (78.4%) patients and positive urine/stone culture was detected in 33 (64.7%) patients.
Conclusion: With multiple crystalline compositions and etiological factors, the staghorn calculi are closely correlated with urinary tract infections.