Tranexamic acid-induced ureteric clot obstruction in a patient with urothelial cell carcinoma resulting in upper urinary tract perforation.

This is the first report of upper urinary tract (UUT) perforation secondary to tranexamic acid (TXA) induced ureteric clot obstruction. A 77-year-old woman was referred to the urology department with intermittent, painless visible haematuria from a lesion in the right upper calyx, suspicious of urothelial cell carcinoma. She did not have any flank pain or blood clots in her urine. Preoperatively, her haemoglobin level dropped from 113 g/L to 95 g/L and was prescribed oral TXA by her general practitioner, which led to extensive clot formation within the right kidney and ureter resulting in pain and ureteric obstruction. At ureteroscopy, a large ureteric blood clot was extracted and perforation close to the tumour with resultant urinary extravasation was noted. The patient subsequently underwent a successful nephroureterectomy, but risk of potential perforation-related complications such as tumour seeding, sepsis and urinoma formation could have been avoided. TXA in haematuria from the UUT should be strongly discouraged due to the risk of ureteric clot obstruction and UUT perforation.