Shock wave lithotripsy for a renal stone in a tetraplegic patient as a trigger for life-threatening posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Gianluca Sampogna; Matteo Maltagliati; Bernardo Rocco; Salvatore Micali; Emanuele Montanari; Michele Spinelli

doi:10.1016/j.eucr.2020.101204

Shock wave lithotripsy for a renal stone in a tetraplegic patient as a trigger for life-threatening posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome

Urol Case Rep. 2020 Apr 9:31:101204. doi: 10.1016/j.eucr.2020.101204. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Authors

Gianluca Sampogna^{1

2}, Matteo Maltagliati³, Bernardo Rocco³, Salvatore Micali³, Emanuele Montanari¹, Michele Spinelli²

Affiliations

¹ Urology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Via della Commenda 15, 20122, Milano, MI, Italy.
² Neuro-urology Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Piazza dell'Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milano, MI, Italy.
³ Urology Unit, Ospedale Policlinico e Nuovo Ospedale Civile S. Agostino-Estense, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Pietro Giardini 1355, 41126 Baggiovara, MO, Italy.

Abstract

Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is considered a non-invasive treatment for urinary stones and usually advocated for frail patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). We report a life-threatening complication, called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), in a tetraplegic person who underwent SWL for a small renal stone. Based on our experience, we recommend performing SWL with caution in SCI patients and in tertiary referral hospitals that can promptly manage similar severe complications.

Keywords: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; Shock wave lithotripsy; Spinal cord injury; Urolithiasis.

Publication types

Case Reports