Dr. MJ Bazos MD, Patient
Handout
Kidney
Stones
What are the Kidneys?
The kidneys are the master chemists of the body.
Normally, there are two of them, one on either side of the spine under the lower
ribs. They are reddish brown in colour and shaped like kidney beans. Each kidney
is about the size of your clenched fist.
How Does the Urinary System
Work?
The urinary system is made up of the kidneys,
the ureters, the bladder, and the urethra. Each plays an important role in
helping your body to eliminate waste products in the form of urine. The main job
of the kidneys is to remove wastes from the blood and return the cleaned blood
back to the body. The ureters carry the waste products, as urine, from the
kidneys to the bladder. Urine is stored in the bladder until you urinate. It
passes out of the body through a tube called the urethra.
What is A Kidney
Stone?
A kidney stone can develop when certain chemicals in your urine form crystals that stick together. The crystals may grow into a stone ranging in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Small stones can pass through the urinary system without causing problems. However, larger stones might block the flow of urine or irritate the lining of the urinary tract. Most stones form in the kidney. Some travel to the ureter or bladder. Most stones (70 to 80 percent) contain mainly calcium oxalate crystals. A smaller number are uric acid stones or cystine stones. Who is Affected by Kidney
Stones?
One out of ten Canadians will have a kidney stone at some point in their life. Kidney stones occur much more commonly in men than in women. They tend to affect people in middle age, and occur more frequently hot climates. What Causes Kidney Stones to
Form?
Normally, urine contains chemicals which prevent crystals from forming. However, some people seem to be more prone to kidney stones than others. If you are prone to kidney stones, there are several factors which contribute to their formation:
Sometimes, stones can also
develop if you have a persistent kidney infection.
What are the Symptoms of Kidney
Stones?
How are kidney Stones
Diagnosed?
Kidney stones are diagnosed by a complete
medical examination, X-rays and other tests. Your doctor will start by giving
you a physical examination and asking you questions about past kidney illness,
your diet, use of medications, your lifestyle and family
background.
An X-ray of the kidneys, ureters and bladder can reveal the presence of most stones. Sometimes, stones which are less common can be seen using dye injections or an ultrasound test. Blood and urine tests may be needed to find out what is causing the stones to form. How are Kidney Stones
Treated?
Most small stones pass through your body by
themselves within hours or a few days. To help this process, your doctor will
advise you to drink a lot of fluids and follow a special diet.
Medication may also be prescribed. Certain types of stones can be dissolved using medication. However, the most common stones (those containing calcium) cannot be dissolved. Stones that do not pass by themselves are treated with Extra-corporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL). This treatment is a non-surgical technique which uses high energy shock waves to break the stones into small fragments (about the size of grains of sand). You can then pass them when you urinate during the next few weeks. This treatment is successfully used in many cases where the stones are less than two centimetres in size. When stones are larger than two centimetres, a surgical procedure is often needed to remove them. The stones that you pass at home and those which are surgically removed should be sent to a laboratory for analysis. How Can You help prevent the formation of
Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones recur in about 50 percent of cases. There are steps you can take, in consultation with your doctor and a dietitian, to help prevent this from happening to you.
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