| WHAT
ARE KIDNEY STONES?
They are formed by the process of urolithiasis, commonly referred to as kidney stones or calculi. They are solid mineral particles that are formed in the kidneys and may be displaced to the rest of the urinary tract (urethra and bladder).
WHAT
ARE THEY MADE OF?
There are different types: calcium oxalate, uric acid, ammonic magnesium,
cystine, etc.. Their varying compositions make it necessary to have multiples
treatment options, not all stones are resolved with the same treatment.
WHAT
ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
Kidney stones cause pain that may develop into a renal colic. 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. There may be blood in the urine (hematuria). Occasionally, they may go undetected until an x-ray of the area is performed.
ARE
ALL RENAL COLICS CAUSED BY KIDNEY STONES?
No, though this is the most common cause. A renal colic means the urinary tract is obstructed (permanently or momentarily). Obstructions may cause calculi, clots, estenosis, tumours, etc.
SHOULD
ALL RENAL COLICS BE STUDIED BY AN UROLOGIST?
Yes, all of them. During the acute pain phase, any doctor is able to prescribe
the appropriate treatment but this should be followed-up by a detailed
urological check-up to detect the cause.
WHAT CAUSES THE FORMATION OF CALCULI?
This is a complex question. They may be caused by general illnesses (hyper-thyroid syndrome, hyperucemia, etc.) or by intrinsic urine alterations (hypercalcuria, hyperoxaluira, citrate deficit, etc.) or by other pathologies of the urine tract (congenital malformations, urinary infections, obstructions, etc.). The exact cause may only be detected by a detailed urological study.
HOW
ARE KIDNEY STONES TREATED?
There is no standard treatment, each patient must be treated individually
since treatment depends on the type of calculus, on its locations, its
size and its relationship with other urological pathologies.
WHAT
TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE?
They are:
- surgery
- extra-corporeal lithotripsy by shock waves
-
percutaneous nephrolitomy
- endourologic treatments (extraction or fragmentation of the calculi
through the urinary duct)
These treatments are not mutually exclusive, in fact on occasions, one
must combine them to get rid of a calculus.
DO
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS DISSOLVE KIDNEY STONES?
This is only the case with uric acid calculi. The rest, the vast majority
in fact, will have to be treated via one of the options described above
unless the stone is small enough to be expelled through large intakes
of liquid.
HOW
CAN ONE PREVENT THE FORMATION OF KIDNEY STONES?
The best thing to do is to drink many liquids (especially water) in order
to increase the frequency of urination. Urine will be more diluted and
this will prevent the precipitation of substances that may lead to calculi
formation.
Specific dietary recommendations may only be made once the urologist has
studied each individual case since there are many different types of kidney
stones each of which will require a different set of measures.
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