What is the risk of developing bladder stones after prostate resection for BPH?
Bladder stones are a known complication of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), but their risk after prostate resection surgery is not well-defined. A 2025 study developed a tool to predict this risk, identifying several key factors that increase the chance of stone formation. Overall, the risk appears to be low in most patients, but certain individual characteristics can raise it.
What the research says
A 2025 study of 446 BPH patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) found that 106 (about 24%) had bladder stones 4. The study identified seven independent risk factors for developing stones: older age, higher International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), higher serum uric acid, greater intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP), wider prostatic urethral angle (PUA), larger total prostate volume (TPV), and higher urinary red blood cell count 4. A nomogram (a prediction tool) using these factors showed excellent accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.865 in the training set and 0.882 in the validation set 4. This means the tool can reliably estimate an individual's risk.
An older study from 2017 also looked at BPH-related complications, including bladder stones, in 2271 patients who had TURP 9. It found that patients with bladder stones had a higher risk of urinary infection after surgery compared to those without stones 9. However, the overall rate of surgical complications was similar between patients with and without BPH-related complications 9. This suggests that while bladder stones themselves may increase infection risk, they do not necessarily lead to more surgical problems.
Other sources in the provided set do not directly address bladder stone risk after prostate resection. For example, studies on ThuLEP versus RASP 1, machine learning for detrusor underactivity 2, or nursing interventions 3 focus on different outcomes. Therefore, the best available evidence comes from the 2025 nomogram study and the 2017 complication study.
What to ask your doctor
- Based on my age, prostate size, and symptom score, what is my personal risk of developing bladder stones after surgery?
- Should I have my serum uric acid level checked before surgery, and if it is high, could that increase my stone risk?
- If I have a larger prostate or other risk factors, are there any steps I can take before or after surgery to lower my chance of bladder stones?
- After my procedure, what symptoms should I watch for that might indicate a bladder stone (e.g., pain, blood in urine, trouble urinating)?
- How often should I have follow-up imaging (like ultrasound) to check for bladder stones after my surgery?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about Urology and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.