Cystitis due to the use of ketamine as a recreational drug: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Ketamine is a derivative of phencyclidine and is a dissociative anaesthetic. Its use as a recreational drug is on the increase among young adults attending clubs and parties. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 20-year-old man who presented with a 7-month history of urinary frequency, nocturia, urgency, suprapubic discomfort during micturition and episodes of severe haematuria shortly after commencing weekly recreational ketamine use. Complementary examinations were negative except for a thickened bladder wall on ultrasound examination and mild inflammatory changes on cystoscopy. So far only nine cases of ketamine-associated ulcerative cystitis have been described. CONCLUSION: We expect that in the future an increasing number of cases of cystitis caused by ketamine use will be seen in young adults.