Calcium oxalate precipitation in urine following T.U.R. with glycine as irrigation fluid.

Precipitation of calcium oxalate was studied in a group of ten patients who underwent transurethral prostatectomy with glycine irrigation. Post operatively all patients showed hyperoxaluria; 60% with oxaluria higher than 10 times the critical concentration of calcium oxalate in urine. Other factors, known to favour crystallogenesis were modified during the same period: low urinary output, relative hypercalciuria and uraturia and hypomagnesuria. Thus, conditions for intraluminal precipitation of calcium oxalate were present post operatively. We suggest the use of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor to prevent hyperoxaluria.