Urinary tract stones or urolithiasis is one of the important topics in the medical world because of their harmful  effects to kidney and urinary system.

WHAT IS A KIDNEY STONE?

A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in a kidney out of substances in the urine. A stone may stay in the kidney or break, loose and travel down the urinary tract. A small stone may pass all the way out of the body without causing too much pain. A large stone may get stuck in a ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. Potentially, stones can block the flow of urine and cause great pain.

Types of urinary tract stones: –
1. Calcium oxalate stones.
2. Calcium phosphate stones.
3. Magnesium ammonium phosphate stones.
4. Uric acid stones.
5. Cysteine stones and other stones.

Factors helping to have urinary system stones:

1. Genetic factors.
   2.Environmental factors such as foods rich in protein, lack of required or adequate fluid intake, dehydration – especially during hot weather.
   3. Changes in the nature and properties of the urine in people susceptible to have stones in the urinary tract, such as increased calcium, uric acid and oxalate and lack of urine citrate.
   4. Frequent occurrence of urinary tract infections, especially in women and in patients with diabetes.
   5. Obesity and weight gain.
2. Stress and poor life condition

1. Symptoms of the occurrences of stones:
2. Renal colic.
   2.Urinary bleeding or sour urine.
   3. Changes in the urine, such as burning sensation and frequency of urination
   4. Slight rise in body temperature.
   5. Recurrent urinary tract infections.

How to protect yourself from urinary tract stones:

Establish a complete assessment for patients susceptible to form stones in the urinary system, who are:
1. Persons who have suffered from  urinary tract stones previously.
2. People who have members of the same family suffering from urinary tract stones.
3. People who suffer from general diseases which cause urinary stones such as gout.
4. People living with one kidney.
5. People living and working in hot climatic regions.
6. People who suffer from frequent urinary tract infections, especially ladies and diabetic people.
Assessment is taking the medical history, the medical examination and lab analysis and X-rays for urinary tract with stones analysis.
What is the treatment of urinary tract stones:
A – Always prevention is better than cure:
1 – Increase fluids intake (water) so that the person will generate high amount of urine more than 2 liters per 24 hours and especially in the summer
2 – Avoid frequent exposure to high temperature.
3 – Reduction of animal protein and salts in food
4 – Proper treatment of recurrent urinary tract infections.

5 – Exercises and treatment for overweight and obesity.
6 – Visit the doctor in case of renal colic or bleeding in urine.

7-Relaxation.

B – Medical treatment with drugs:
1- Treatment of renal colic.
2 – Treatment of disorders of blood and urine calcium.
3 – Treatment of  uric acid .
4 – Other medicines given according to each case.

General treatment in the case of urinary tract stones:
They differ from patient to another and depending on the size and location of  the stones and their different effects on the urinary system and the treatment also varies depending on the patient’s age, weight and general health condition and methods of treatment generally consists of:
1 – Lithotripsy.
2 – Fragmentation and extraction of stones from the ureter, bladder, kidney with laparoscope.
3 – Open surgery to extract the stones from the urinary system.

— Dr. Ali Mehdi Zadeh, Consultant Urologist and Head of Kuwaiti German Urology Unit, CEO & Partner at Kuwait Medical International Company.

د. علي مهدي زادة

الوحدة الكويتية الالمانية لجراحة الكلى و المسالك البولية و التناسلية

عيادة الدكتور على مهدي زاده

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