A CURSORY search of the urological literature has revealed only one title in recent years referring to the occurrence of urinary lithiasis in poliomyelitis.1 Boyd2 mentioned it in a discussion of lithiasis in bedridden patients, and there are probably other such references, since the relationship appears to be a fairly frequent one. It may be that the prolonged survival of patients with severe poliomyelitis is of such recent development that there has not been sufficient time for the situation to attract much attention.
It has long been known that diseases and disorders requiring prolonged immobilization in bed are frequently complicated by urinary lithiasis, particularly if there is extensive disease of bone (severe fractures, osteomyelitis) or paralysis. Factors which may lead to stone formation in such circumstances include (1) hypercalcinuria from disuse atrophy of the skeleton; (2) stasis in the dependent renal calices; (3) concentration of the urine from