1 Hospitals For Kidney Stones In Maryland

Kidney Stones (click for worldwide facilities list): Kidney stones (calculi) are hardened mineral deposits that form in the kidney. They originate as microscopic particles or crystals and develop into stones over time.

Stones may pass out of the kidney, become lodged in the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureter), and cause severe, excrutiating pain that begins in the lower back and radiates to the groin. A lodged stone can block the flow of urine, causing pressure to build in the affected ureter and kidney. Increased pressure results in stretching and spasm, which cause the severe pain. The only way to definitively identify the underlying causes for kidney stones is to perform a 24-hour urine collection analysis. This test ideally should be done after the painful kidney stone attack is over and the patient has resumed his or her usual diet and routine activities.

Treatment depends on the size and type of stone, the underlying cause, the presence of any urinary infection, and whether the condition recurs. Some stones may pass without intervention. Medications called alpha blockers have been shown to increase the spontaneous passage of kidney stones, especially smaller stones in the lower ureter near the bladder. These medications have the ability to relax the muscle tension inside the ureter. This relaxation serves to improve spontaneous stone passage rates by about 30%.

If a kidney stone does not move through the ureter within 30 days, surgery is considered. Urologists use several procedures to break up, remove, or bypass kidney stones.: Ureteroscopy, Lithotripsy, Ultrasonic lithotripsy, Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL), Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), Percutaneous Nephrostolithotomy (PCN), Ureteroscopic Stone Removal, and Open Surgery.

http://www.urologychannel.com/kidneystones/index.shtml

Also known as: Renal Stone Disease