All Articles in march, 2026

Ureteral double-J stents are a commonly used device in urological practice to allow urinary drainage, avoid ureteral obstruction processes, and protect the upper urinary tract after surgical procedures. However, long indwelling time may give rise to numerous complications, such as infection, migration, and fragmentation of the stent, especially encrustation. Encrustation of stents is a well-known complication that has been closely related to the time active of the stent and can cause significant morbidity if not timely addressed. In severe cases, abundant mineral deposition can result in the development of large calculi encasing the stent and rarely progress to staghorn stones. These cases may pose challenges in terms of the extraction of the stent and may result in complex endourological intervention. The encrustation likelihood is substantially higher if stents are left forgotten or remain in place longer than the advised period. Most patients with heavily encrusted stents have symptoms including flank pain, urinary tract infection, hematuria, or obstructive uropathy, but can present without any symptoms, and this can delay the diagnosis.

Psoas abscess is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition with non-specific clinical manifestations. The condition may be primary or secondary, depending on whether it has an underlying cause. The condition may be diagnosed with the help of imaging studies, especially contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT).A 55-year-old female patient with a history of treated hypertension presented with a 15-day history of fever and left-sided low back pain. Her laboratory parameters showed a high leukocyte count of 22,000 cells/mm³ and elevated levels of C-reactive protein (367 mg/L). Her renal functions were within normal limits, and the urine culture was negative. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a large left-sided intra-abdominal fluid collection extending from the diaphragm to the left iliac fossa, measuring 66 x 305 mm with air bubbles. The collection also showed a left-sided intramuscular psoas collection of 66 x 50 x 131 mm. The patient received intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics (third-generation cephalosporin, aminoglycoside, and metronidazole). The patient underwent mini-lumbotomy, and nearly 1 liter of pus was drained. The patient’s postoperative course was satisfactory with complete resolution of symptoms. The histopathological examination showed non-specific changes.Psoas abscess should be suspected in patients with febrile low back pain and inflammatory syndrome. Contrast-enhanced CT scans are essential for diagnosis and assessment of the extent of disease. In complicated cases with large abscess formation, early surgical drainage along with appropriate antibiotics will provide the best outcome.This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and adapted management for successfully navigating the complexities associated with this condition.

Renal dysfunction after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) often results from common causes like drug toxicity, infection, or transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA). However, renal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) may be ignored. We discuss a 49-year-old man who experienced worsening kidney function despite being in hematologic remission and having negative results for infections and autoimmune diseases. A renal biopsy showed chronic tubulointerstitial injury consistent with renal GVHD, along with existing TMA. Treatment with eculizumab did not lead to improvement, likely indicating significant chronic damage. This case highlights the need to maintain clinical suspicion and to perform timely renal biopsies in cases of unexplained kidney dysfunction after transplant.