The risk of rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure with the patient in the exaggerated lithotomy position.

Rhabdomyolysis with subsequent renal failure has been well documented as a complication of major trauma. However, this complication from elective urological procedures is less well recognized. In 10 patients who underwent elective urethroplasty serum levels of creatine kinase and urinary myoglobin were examined preoperatively and postoperatively. These patients were placed in the lithotomy position for several hours and had minimal muscle dissection. Serum creatine kinase was noted to increase significantly postoperatively to greater than 1,000 units and in 1 patient myoglobin was detected in the urine. This finding indicates that there is, indeed, a risk of muscle injury and potential rhabdomyolysis in these patients from the use of the exaggerated lithotomy position.