Urinoma

A urinoma is a collection of pee (urine) that exists in a part of your body where it’s not supposed to be. It’s a collection of urine that’s outside of your urinary tract.

Symptoms of urinoma

With urine leaking into your abdomen, you may feel a mass in your belly. You may also experience:

• Abdominal pain
• An overall sense of discomfort or illness
• Fever

Urinoma causes

A condition that blocks the flow of pee usually causes a urinoma. Conditions that obstruct the flow of pee include:

• Traumatic injuries to the abdomen or pelvis
• Surgical injuries to the urinary tract
• Obstructing ureteral stones
• Ureteropelvic junction obstructions

Risk factors

People of all ages can get urinomas. But your risk of urinoma can increase if you have:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Surgery in your belly
• A kidney stone or another blockage

Complications of this condition

Complications of urinoma may include:

• Too little or too much of certain minerals (electrolyte imbalance)
• Pus buildup (abscess)
• Kidney damage
• Swelling in your kidneys (hydronephrosis)
• Infection

How doctors diagnose a urinoma

Healthcare providers use tests to diagnose a urinoma, including:

• CT scans: Using computers and X-rays to get pictures of the inside of your body
• Fluoroscopy: Using continuous X-rays to create an “X-ray movie” to see inside your body
• MRIs: Using magnets and radio waves to see your organs and soft tissues in detail
• Ultrasounds: Using high-frequency sound waves to see inside your body

How is it treated?

Healthcare providers drain small urinomas with a Foley tube (catheter). With image guidance, your provider may put a catheter through the skin in your belly to drain a large urinoma. They may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent an infection from pee staying in your body too long.

Providers also treat the condition that caused the urinoma. If a stone in your ureter caused the urinoma, you may need surgery to remove the stone. You may also need a short-term stent to keep pee flowing through your ureter. If you had an injury to part of your urinary system, a provider will repair that.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Contact your healthcare provider if you have pain in your belly or if you feel a mass there. Let them know if you don’t feel well or have a fever. You should get immediate care at the emergency room if you aren’t able to pee.

Questions to ask your provider may include:

• What caused this urinoma?
• Do I have an underlying condition that led to this condition?
• What are the chances that a urinoma will develop again after treatment?

What can I expect if I have a urinoma?

Many urinomas are small and don’t interfere much with your daily activities. Larger urinomas can be serious. They often come from an underlying condition that causes a urinary obstruction. Many people don’t have further problems with urinomas after they receive treatment for the condition that caused it.