• Tsung-Hsun Tsai, Tai-Lung Cha, Chang-Min Lin, Chih-Wei Tsao, Shou-Hung Tang, Feng-Pin Chuang, Sheng-Tang Wu, Guang-Huan Sun, Dah-Shyong Yu, and Sun-Yran Chang.
• Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
• Int. J. Urol. 2009 Oct 1;16(10):826-9.

ObjectiveTo assess the impact of ketamine abuse on genitourinary tract dysfunction.MethodsEleven patients with urinary tract symptoms and a history of ketamine abuse in recent years were studied. Urinalysis, urine culture, renal function tests, abdominal sonography and urodynamic studies were done. Bladder biopsies were carried out in selected cases.ResultsThe most common complaints were lower urinary tract symptoms, including dysuria, frequency, urgency and gross hematuria. Urinalyses showed nonbacterial pyuria and were negative for tuberculosis. All biopsy specimens showed infiltrations of granulocytes (mostly eosinophils) and mast cells within the bladder tissue. Medications produced only slight clinical improvements. Intravesical instillation of hyaluronan solution was performed for some patients and a significant improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms was observed.ConclusionsAlthough the dosage and duration of ketamine abuse causing severe side-effects are still unclear, some patients develop irreversible histological changes in the urinary tract. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of the negative effects of ketamine abuse on genitourinary tract function.

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