Directors: Dr. John Pattaras and Dr. Kenneth Ogan
Appointments: (404) 778-4898
Kidney Stones (Nephrolithiasis)
Kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract. Approximately one half million stones are reported in the United States each year. Kidney stones affect about 12 percent of men and 5 percent of woman by the age of 70. The peak age for a stone is between 20 and 40 years old. Caucasians have an increased incidence compared to African-Americans. Stones are more common in hot climates and the peak incidence occurs one to two months after the hottest months.
There are multiple reasons why kidney stones form. Essentially, there is a delicate balance of the electrolytes in the urine. When this balance is disrupted, kidney stones form. The primary reason for kidney stone formation is dehydration (not drinking enough water). Dehydration causes the salts and electrolytes to precipitate in the urine to form crystals, which eventually grow to become kidney stones. The most common type of stone is composed of calcium oxalate. Other less common stones are composed of calcium phosphate, uric acid, struvite (infection) and cystine.
Stones form in the kidney and may travel to anywhere along the course of the urinary tract down to the urethra. When kidney stones get lodged in the ureter they block the flow of urine from the kidney. This can produces severe flank pain, which has been described as worse than the pain of childbirth. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fevers, chills, and blood in the urine. While the pain may be unbearable, worse even is that stones can damage the kidneys and, when combined with infection, can be deadly.
