AUTHOR=Van de Perre Els , Reichman Gina , De Geyter Deborah , Geers Caroline , Wissing Karl M. , Letavernier Emmanuel 

TITLE=Encrusted Uropathy: A Comprehensive Overview—To the Bottom of the Crust

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.609024

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2020.609024

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p>Encrusted uropathy is a rare subacute to chronic inflammatory disorder caused by infection with urease-producing bacteria, mainly <italic>Corynebacterium urealyticum</italic>. The disorder is characterized by urothelial deposition of struvite and carbonated apatite, resulting in encrustations and ulceronecrotic inflammation of the urothelium and surrounding tissues. Most commonly, encrusted uropathy is encountered in patients with predisposing conditions. The disease remains underdiagnosed. High urinary pH and negative conventional urine cultures should raise suspicion of the diagnosis. Prognosis is dependent on timely diagnosis and treatment installment, which consists of urological removal of encrustations in combination with urinary acidification and long-term antibiotic therapy.</p>