Complete Erosion of Abdominal Cerclage Into the Bladder

Abstract

Background: Abdominal cerclage is indicated for some women with cervical insufficiency. Long-term complications from cerclage are rare.

Case: Here we report the case of a patient who presented with recurrent urinary tract infection and hematuria 5 years after laparoscopic abdominal cerclage. Cystoscopy revealed bladder stones surrounding a foreign body. Another cystoscopy 3 months later showed complete erosion of the cerclage into the bladder.

Conclusion: This case reminds us that differential diagnosis of urinary symptoms in women who have undergone cervical cerclage should include suture erosion into the bladder. Cerclage removal can be offered to women who have completed childbearing to prevent this rare complication.

Keywords: cerclage, cervical; urinary bladder calculi.