Glycine irrigation and urinary oxalate excretion.

The short-term effect of glycine supplementation on urinary oxalate excretion was studied. An intravenous infusion of 1 litre of a solution of 2.2% glycine, 1.5% glycine + 1% ethanol or 5% mannitol (control) was given on 13 occasions to 5 healthy volunteers. Glycine irrigation was used in 9 patients undergoing transurethral prostatic resection and the absorption of irrigant was measured volumetrically (range 0-2.71). The results suggest that glycine irrigation in transurethral prostatic surgery does not raise the urinary oxalate level in the early post-operative period.