About the disease
Urolithiasis is the formation of stones in the kidneys, bladder or urinary tract, which causes urinary problems. This condition can develop if there is an excessive amount of salt and minerals in the urine. Urolithiasis can also be caused by a genetic predisposition, metabolic disorders or a long-term history of hypertension.
According to MedicineNet.com, this disease occurs in 1 out of 20 people at some point in their lives. In some cases, this condition can develop and vanish asymptomatically, while in others it can cause certain health problems. This disease is more common in the Western world, due to environmental factors and the dietary habits of its inhabitants. Onset of the symptoms can be both gradual and sudden.
Symptoms
- Pain in the kidneys, radiating down to the bladder
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Decreased urine volume
- Dehydration
- Colic
- Low blood pressure
- Fever
Symptoms usually manifest themselves if the stones have become larger than 5 millimeters in diameter, because they can cause blockage of the ureter. In some cases, there can even be blood in the urine, which calls for emergency treatment. The most painful complication of urolithiasis is acute renal colic, which can also result in sepsis. In rare cases, urolithiasis can cause renal failure.
Diagnosis
- While performing a physical examination, the doctor uses palpation to examine the patient’s bowels and kidneys, to determine where the pain is coming from.
- Urinalysis can reveal an excessive amount of salt and minerals, which can cause urolithiasis.
- CT scanning can show detailed pictures of the bowel and kidneys, where stones can accumulate, and determine their size and location.
Treatment
- Conservative treatment ranges from observation to emergency treatment. In some cases, a person needs to be hospitalized for one to two weeks to surpass the acute stage of this disease. Suffering from acute colitis is also grounds for hospitalization. This condition is more common in children. During their stay in hospital, the patient may be given analgesics. Due to excessive dehydration, the patient may also be required to have enteral hydration.
- In some cases, the patient will need to undergo surgical intervention to remove the stone, if it obstructs the bladder. It must be done to restore the urine flow. Such resection can be performed through catheterization. Another surgical option is a urinary tract drainage, which allows the urologist to get rid of the stones present in the bladder.
In most cases, conservative treatment is enough to treat urolithiasis. After undergoing treatment, the patient still needs to submit blood and urinary tests regularly to prevent the formation of new stones.
Authors: Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko
