Quartz stones: spurious or iatrogenic?

Abstract

We describe 2 cases of spurious quartz-containing calculi; the first patient-driven and the second iatrogenic. An iatrogenic etiology can occur after the use of holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser energy because the fiber tip is composed of quartz. To make the diagnosis of a spurious stone, a high degree of suspicion is essential. A quartz stone should prompt the diagnosis of a factitious disorder in the absence of the appropriate surgical history. Psychological counseling and/or referral to a pain management clinic should be considered in such cases.

• Authors: Ojas Shah, Dean G Assimos
• Journal: Urology (Urology) Vol. 64 Issue 4 Pg. 808-9 (Oct 2004) ISSN: 1527-9995 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 15491736 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Quartz
• Citric Acid

Topics

• Citric Acid (urine)
• Equipment Failure
• Factitious Disorders (diagnosis)
• Flank Pain (etiology)
• Foreign Bodies (diagnosis, etiology)
• Humans
• Iatrogenic Disease
• Lithotripsy
• Lithotripsy, Laser (adverse effects, instrumentation)
• Male
• Malingering (diagnosis)
• Middle Aged
• Opioid-Related Disorders (complications, diagnosis)
• Quartz
• Recurrence
• Tomography, Spiral Computed
• Ureteral Calculi (etiology, therapy, urine)
• Urinary Calculi (chemistry, diagnosis, etiology)