Monthly
Topic...
Kidney
Stones
What is a kidney
stone?
A kidney stone is a hard mineral and crystalline material formed
within the kidney or urinary tract.
Kidney stones are a
common cause of blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank, or
groin. Kidney stones occur in 1 in 20 people at some time in their
life.
What causes kidney
stones?
The development of the stones is related to decreased urine volume or
increased excretion of stone-forming components such as calcium,
oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate. The stones form in
the urine collecting area (the pelvis) of the kidney and may range in
size from tiny to staghorn stones the size of the renal pelvis itself.
The cystine stones
(below) compared in size to a quarter (a U.S. $0.25 coin) were
obtained from the kidney of a young woman by percutaneous
nephrolithotripsy (PNL), a procedure for crushing and removing the
dense stubborn stones characteristic of cystinuria.
What are symptoms
of kidney stones?
Kidney stones cause pain. The pain with kidney stones is usually of
sudden onset, very severe and colicky (intermittent), not improved by
changes in position, radiating from the back, down the flank, and into
the groin. Nausea and vomiting are common.
What factors
predispose to the development of kidney stones?
Factors predisposing to kidney stones include recent reduction in
fluid intake, increased exercise with dehydration, medications that
cause hyperuricemia (high uric acid) and a history of gout.
What is the
treatment for kidney stones?
Treatment includes relief of pain, hydration and, if there is
concurrent urinary infection, antibiotics.
The majority of stones
pass spontaneously within 48 hours. However, some stones may not.
There are several factors which influence the ability to pass a stone.
These include the size of the person, prior stone passage, prostate
enlargement, pregnancy, and the size of the stone. A 4 mm stone has an
80% chance of passage while a 5 mm stone has a 20% chance. If a stone
does not pass, certain procedures (usually by a urology specialist
doctor) may be needed.
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