An under-recognized complication of chronic ketamine abuse is injury to the bladder. Ketamine or a metabolite gets concentrated in the urine, causing inflammation, fibrosis, and decreased compliance. These patients — typically young males — present with severe lower urinary tract symptoms (urgency, frequency, dysuria0 and suprapubic pain. Work-up reveals a small-capacity bladder (sometimes less than 100 mL) with a thick wall. Secondary hydronephrosis can cause renal failure.
Ketamine-associated vesicopathy. Chen YC, Chen YL et al. QJM 2011 Sep 14 [Epub ahead of print]
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