"Piriformis syndrome": An unusual way to the final diagnosis of a kidney stone in a caudal ectopic kidney

Introduction: Kidney stones normally cause typical symptoms like colic flan k pain with or without pain projection and vegetative symptoms, that are di fferent from those in neurological disorders. The Piriformis-Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder with characteristic unilateral pain in the nates . Abduction of the leg can provoke or increase this pain. Case report: This is a report of the Odyssey of a female patient with a cal culus in the renal pelvis of an ectopic kidney, which caused atypical painf ul symptoms. Based upon the diagnosis of various neurological disorders and finally assumed to be Piriformis Syndrome, she was mistreated for over ten years because of false underlying neurological diagnoses. Sonographic exam ination due to microhematuria provided evidence for an ectopic kidney with a pelvic stone, which was substantiated by excretory urography. Complete la sting relief of symptoms occurred after treatment of the stone by ESWL and ureterolitholapaxy. Conclusion: The clinical symptoms caused by pelvic stones in ectopic kidney s are different from those caused by stones in orthotopic kidneys as well a s from those seen in distinct neurological diseases. Nevertheless, ectopic kidneys may cause atypical neurological symptoms.