Kidney Stones

Kidney stones occur when salts and minerals form solid deposits in your urinary tract or kidneys. Often the stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, resulting in minerals crystallizing and sticking together.

Four different types of salts normally form Kidney Stones. These include:

  • Calcium

  • Uric Acid

  • Struvite

  • Cystine

Causes

Kidney Stones commonly occur in males above the age of 50 and can be caused by the following factors:

  • Chronic Disease - Gout, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, Diabetes

  • Low fluid intake

  • Family history

  • Excessive intake of salt, animal protein, vitamin-D supplements, sugar and oxalate-rich foods

Symptoms

Symptoms that you may experience if you have a kidney stone include:

  • Severe pain in the side and back

  • Pain that comes and goes

  • Pain on urination

  • Blood in the urine (pink, red or brown urine)

  • Cloudy or foul-smelling urine

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Urinating more often than usual

  • Fever and chills if an infection is present

Treatments

Depending on the size, the location and the composition of the stones management includes:

  • Medical Management with spontaneous passage

  • Eternal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)

  • Ureteroscopy with Laser Lithotripsy

  • Percutaneous Nephro-Lithotomy (PCNL)

Kidney Stone Prevention

Recurrence rates after an initial symptomatic stone event are reported to be up to 50% within 10 years of first presentation. Patients are, therefore, generally encouraged to adopt prevention strategies.

Prevention is based on general measure, kidney stone composition and patient metabolic evaluation.

General Measure:

  • Hydration: The recommendation of fluid intake between 2.5–3 L or a urine output of 2.5 L

  • The goal for dietary calcium intake should be 1000–1200 mg/day

  • In patients with recurrent calcium oxalate and uric acid nephrolithiasis, moderation of animal protein intake and avoidance of purine rich foods is suggested

  • Patients with recurrent calcium nephrolithiasis should aim for sodium intake of 1500 mg daily and not exceed 2300 mg daily

  • For kidney stone patients, a diet high in fiber, fruits, and vegetables may offer a small protective effect against stone formation

  • Vitamin C supplementation of more than 1000 mg daily is not recommended due to the associated risk of hyperoxaluria and nephrolithiasis

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