According to an NCBI (National Centre for Biotechnology Information) report, over 12% of India’s total population suffers from kidney stones. And given the population of India, it is not a very small number. In fact, many healthcare organizations report that kidney stones are one of the most common medical problems for which people visit; however, what is kidney stones? Let’s find out!
 

What Are Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard deposits of crystallized minerals and acid salts that often form when the urine becomes too concentrated. It can be the size of tiny grains and can also grow up to the size of golf balls. Kidney stones can affect any part of the urinary tract, from the kidneys to the bladder. 
 

What Causes Kidney Stones?

If you’re wondering what causes kidney stones, it can’t be so certainly described as it has no definitive cause. Several factors might be the reason for causing kidney stones and not just one single factor.  it could be anything from excess body weight, diet, some medications or supplements, to certain medical conditions. 
 

Symptoms of Kidney Stones

• Pain radiating toward the lower abdomen and groin area
• Pain while urinating or difficulty urinating
• Foul-smelling or cloudy urine
• Sharp pain in the back and side below the ribs
• Needing to urinate more often than usual
• Urinating small amounts
• Brown, red, or pink urine
• Vomiting and nausea

Types of Kidney Stones

Being aware of the types of kidney stones and which one of them you’re suffering from helps to determine the cause and reduce the chances of getting more kidney stones by preventing them. Mentioned below are all the types of kidney stones, each of which has a different composition.

• Uric Acid Stones: When too much uric acid is formed in the urine due to various factors. 
   
• Calcium Stones: It is the most common type of kidney stone formed of calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate.
   
• Struvite Stones: These stones are caused by urinary tract infections and can grow quickly and become quite large. It is composed of magnesium, phosphate and aluminum.
   
• Cystine Stones: This type of kidney stone occurs in people with a rare genetic disorder called cystinuria. This disorder causes the kidneys to excrete excessive amounts of a certain amino acid.
   

Diagnosis

There are several ways doctors can diagnose kidney stones. Here are the most common diagnostic tests used to diagnose the condition.

Blood Work: This is the most common way for doctors to detect your kidney stones initially. Blood tests that reveal too much calcium or uric acid in your blood can be telltale symptoms of kidney stones.

Urine Test: A urine test aims to find the makeup of your urine and if it has enough stone-preventing substances and stone-causing minerals. The patient must store urine twice over 24 hours and then send it for testing.

Ultrasound: Computerised Imaging is another common method of diagnosing kidney stones. This process is the fastest and easiest method currently used to diagnose kidney stones.

Passed Stone Analysis: Sometimes doctors perform laboratory tests on the stones you have passed to understand the makeup of the stones inside your body. The reports are used to create a treatment plan to prevent further kidney stones.

Kidney Stones Treatment
 

Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS)

RIRS is a common kidney stone treatment that can treat stones of all sizes that are located within the lower ureter or the renal pelvis. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used in kidney stone treatment to remove kidney stones. This minimal-access surgery requires a very small incision in the back, allowing patients to recover more quickly than in traditional surgeries. A thin and flexible tube called a ureterorenoscopy is inserted through the small incision into the kidney. The tube or ureterorenoscopy is equipped with a light and camera that allows the surgeon to have a clear visual of the kidney and ureter and have the chance of completely removing the stone. 

Ureterorenoscopic (URS) Lithotripsy

URS is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that can treat kidney stones with little to no damage made to other tissues. At MASSH, we use a high-power Holmium laser to break the kidney stones. This treatment is very effective and highly targeted. It can remove kidney stones from difficult-to-reach parts of a patient’s urinary tract. This procedure aims to break the stones into smaller pieces that can be easily passed through urine.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)

This procedure is mainly reserved for severe cases where the stones are too big or complex to be treated with other procedures. PCNL is one of the only kidney stone treatments at MASSH that uses general anesthesia. A small incision is made in the back of the patient, and surgical tools are inserted. Using tools like lasers, forceps, and baskets, the doctors will break the stone into smaller pieces and remove them from your body surgically.

Ending Note

That is all you need to know about Kidney stones. They can be very painful if not diagnosed in a timely fashion. So, get your condition diagnosed today at MASSH. We offer all minimally invasive treatment options for kidney stones with a very quick recovery process. Contact us today for an appointment and get easy treatment for your kidney stones today.