ABSTRACT
Objectives: To determine the composition and hence types of bladder stones in children using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy [FT-IR]
Study design: A case control study
Place and duration: Pediatric Surgical Department of Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro from June 2012 to October 2012
Methodology: The materials for this study were thirty bladder stones surgically recovered from as many children admitted in surgical pediatric wards. The standard FT-IR spectra of individual standards were acquired for comparison. The FTIR spectroscopy using Nicolet Avatar 330 FTIR spectrometer [Thermo Electron Corporation] in the frequency range 500-4000 cm was performed to determine the composition of bladder stones. The constituents of bladder stones were identified by comparing the spectra of stones with that of the pure standards obtained accordingly
Results: The mean age of thirty children [24 male and 6 female] was 4.84 + 2.82 years. Majority of cases 86.67% [n=26] had one, 3.33% [n=1] had two, 6.67% [n=2] had three and 10% [n=3] had more than three stones. Of thirty bladder stones analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy, 83.3% [n=25] found to be mixed composition, with calcium oxalate monohydrate and ammonium hydrogen urate as the most frequent stone type identified in this series. Ammonium hydrogen urate in the central and was seen to be the most common constituent and calcium oxalate monohydrate in the inner and peripheral parts of the stones
Conclusion: Calcium oxalate monohydrate-ammonium hydrogen urate stone type is most frequent in children of less than ten years age. FT-IR spectroscopy may be used as a rapid, accurate and environment friendly technique for screening of urinary stones in children