Is the menstrual cup harmless? A case report of an unusual cause of renal colic

INTRODUCTION: Menstrual cup is increasingly gaining acceptance among women to control the menstrual period. The majority of brands advocate that these devices are 100% safe to the users, notwithstanding there are some reports of rare complications associated with these devices. PRESENTATION OF CASE: In this case we present a woman who developed a right renal colic using a menstrual cup. The pain was difficult to manage with conventional analgesics. The plain abdominal X-ray revealed the device in the pelvis occupying more than one third of the pelvis minor diameter and oriented to the right side. The ultrasound revealed right ureterohydronephrosis with no identifiable obstructive cause. The symptoms and the ureterohydronephrosis relieved completely after the removal of the device. DISCUSSION: Despite of being a safe device, problems with the menstrual cup could occur and we believe that the mechanism behind this clinical picture was the extrinsic compression of the right ureter by the cup. The control of the pain in this patient was challenging and we managed the problem with the device removal. CONCLUSION: The menstrual cup is gaining acceptance among women and it is important for clinicians to be aware of this device and possible complications associated with its use.