Urinary calculus associated with female genital cutting.

BACKGROUND

Female genital cutting is a cultural practice seen in parts of Africa and Asia. Women who have undergone type III female genital cutting (excising the external genitalia and suturing the remnant tissue to cover the urethra and part of the introitus) can suffer various long-term complications. Defibulation, a procedure that opens the overlying scar can alleviate or resolve symptoms.

CASE: A 32-year-old Somali woman presenting with type III female genital cutting complained of infertility, dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and exquisite pain upon sitting. She underwent a defibulation procedure to create neolabia majora. Intraoperatively, a 0.8 cm urinary calculus was found beneath the urethra. Postoperatively, all of her symptoms resolved.

CONCLUSION

Infibulated scars create a favorable environment for stagnant urine to crystallize and become a urinary calculus.