Kidney stones, by anot her name. A common cause of blood
in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Occurs in 1 in 20 people
at some time in their life. 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 pain 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.
Predisposing factors may include recent reduction in fluid intake, increased exercise
with dehydration, medications that cause hyperuricemia (high uric acid) and a history
of gout. 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,
urologic intervention may be needed. The process of stone formation is also called
nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. "Nephrolithiasis" is derived from the Greek nephros-
(kidney) + lithos (stone) = kidney stone "Urolithiasis" is from the French word
"urine" which, in turn, stems from the Latin "urina" and the Greek "ouron" meaning
urine = urine stone.
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