Vesical fungal bezoars on post-TURBT scar tissue causing obstruction and mimicking urothelial carcinoma

BMJ Case Rep. 2024 Jan 12;17(1):e257132. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2023-257132.

Abstract

Fungal bezoars (fungal balls) are rarely reported in the upper or lower urinary tract. They can be the cause of severe morbidities such as urinary tract obstruction, renal failure and fungaemia. Hereby, we present a rare case of a male patient who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT), and during his postoperative period, he was diagnosed with bladder fungal bezoars adherent to his resection area. The fungal bezoars were covering an extended area of the right lateral bladder wall, including the right ureteric orifice and causing right urinary tract obstruction. Those findings were manifested only after a relooked cystoscopy and histological evaluation.We aim to present a rare example of fungal bezoars mimicking other pathologies in the urinary tract and review the current literature for similar documentation. We underline the necessity of follow-up examinations for urologists performing TURBT surgeries, including urinalysis, imaging modalities and cystoscopy.

Keywords: Cancer intervention; Urological surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bezoars* / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* / complications
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* / surgery
  • Cicatrix / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Urinary Bladder / diagnostic imaging
  • Urinary Bladder / pathology
  • Urinary Bladder / surgery
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* / complications
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* / surgery