Kidney stones are small, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts on the inner surfaces of your kidneys. They are created when minerals, such as calcium, get concentrated in the urine and crystallize. Normally, the substances that make up kidney stones are diluted in the urine. There are many types of kidney stones. Calcium oxalate stones are the most common. Uric acid stones are the second most common.

Kidney stones can be very painful when they pass. As the stones pass from the kidney into the ureter, back pressure, called hydronephrosis, develops in the kidney. The pain usually starts in the flank and radiates to the front. Some people develop nausea and vomit, while some may see blood in the urine. Fortunately, kidney stones are treatable and preventable.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) is a non-invasive procedure that delivers sound waves through the flank to fragment a stone. The sound waves are directed under X-ray guidance.

Ureteroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a small camera is passed into the ureter. This allows the urologist to directly visualize the stone. Laser destruction of the stone can be performed as well.

Ureteral stents are temporary tubes placed through the ureter to help bypass stones and swelling (edema) often associated with passing stones. Stents are internal and placed during cystoscopy.

Percutaneous Surgery is a minimally invasive procedure to remove large stones (larger than 2 cm) in the kidney. The camera is passed directly into the kidney through a tract in the flank. The stone is visualized destroyed and then removed through the camera.

Dissolving stones can be an option for uric acid stones. These account for 15% of all stones form in the population. Unfortunately, calcium stones cannot be dissolved with medication.

The treatment depends on the location of the stone. Only your urologist can determine the best treatment option for kidney stones.

Drs. Catanese and Greenstein are members of the:
New Jersey Kidney Stone Center.

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