Kidney stones are hard deposits that accumulate in the urinary system and can cause many problems.
Kidney stones are serious because they can cause significant pain, bleeding, infections and even loss of the kidney.
There are a variety of treatment options available depending on the size and location of the stone.
Kidney stones (also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis) are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys.
Diet, excess body weight, some medical conditions, and certain supplements and medications are among the many causes of kidney stones. Kidney stones can affect any part of your urinary tract — from your kidneys to your bladder. Often, stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.
Passing kidney stones can be quite painful, but the stones usually cause no permanent damage if they're recognized in a timely fashion. Depending on your situation, you may need nothing more than to take pain medication and drink lots of water to pass a kidney stone. In other instances — for example, if stones become lodged in the urinary tract, are associated with a urinary infection or cause complications — surgery may be needed.
Your doctor may recommend preventive treatment to reduce your risk of recurrent kidney stones if you're at increased risk of developing them again.
A kidney stone usually will not cause symptoms until it moves around within the kidney or passes into one of the ureters. The ureters are the tubes that connect the kidneys and bladder.
If a kidney stone becomes lodged in the ureters, it may block the flow of urine and cause the kidney to swell and the ureter to spasm, which can be very painful. At that point, you may experience these symptoms:
Here your surgeon will use a small scope and enter the ureter or kidney and fragment and/or use a basket to remove stones. This is typically an outpatient procedure. You will sometimes require a temporary drainage tube(a stent) after this procedure.
Here your surgeon will place a hollow tube through your side into the kidney and use a larger scope to efficiently break your stones. This is typically required for larger stones which wouldn't be effectively treated with other techniques. You will usually spend one night in the hospital after this procedure.
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