Kidney Stones
Kidney
Stones have been around for a long time. Hippocrates
said, "I will not cut, even for stone, but leave
such procedures to the practitioner of the craft." Knowledge
of stone prevention and treatment has come a long
way since then.
We know that kidney stones affect approximately
12% of the population in the United States. Men
appear to be afflicted with kidney
stones more often than women, with the ratio
being about 3 to 1. In addition, those who develop
kidney stones have a 50% risk of having another
stone within 5-10 years. White patients are affected
by kidney stones more than African American, and
the maximum incidence occurs in the 30-50 year old
age group.
The etiology of kidney stone formation varies with
inborn errors of metabolism, congenital urological
abnormalities, dehydration, diet, urinary tract
infection-all being factors. Briefly, we know that
diets high in protein and salt lead to a higher
incidence of stone formation. Inhibitors of kidney
stone formation have been identified with citrate
being one of the most important.
As far as kidney stone management goes, there has
been an explosion of technical innovation. Urologists
have become the "practitioners of the craft." It's
rare to have to "cut, even for stone." With the
advent of ESWL ( Extracorporeal
Shock Wave Lithotripsy ), and minimally invasive
endoscopic procedures, most stones can be treated
in an outpatient setting.
This website has been developed to give you basic
knowledge of the urinary tract, kidney stone development,
treatment, and prevention. Also you will be able
to find a urologist who practices in your area through
our zip code search. Once your kidney stone has
been treated, don't forget to have a metabolic workup
to determine if you are a candidate for dietary
change or possibly medication to try to prevent
further kidney stone formation.
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