Nephrolithiasis

Alternative names:

kidney stones; renal calculi; stones - kidney

Symptoms:

• flank pain or back pain
  • on one or both sides
  • progressive
  • severe
  • colicky ("spasm-like")
  • may radiate or move to lower in flank, pelvis, groin, genitals

• nausea, vomiting
• urinary frequency/urgency, increased (persistent urge to urinate)
• blood in the urine
• abdominal pain
• urination, painful
• urination, excessive at night
• urinary hesitancy
• testicle pain
• groin pain
• fever
• chills
• abnormal urine color

Signs and tests:

Pain may be severe enough to require narcotics. There may be tenderness when the abdomen or back is touched. If stones are severe, persistent, or recurrent, there may be signs of kidney failure.

• Straining the urine may capture urinary tract stones when they are excreted. Analysis of the stone shows the type of stone.
• Urinalysis may show crystals and red blood cells in urine.
• Uric acid elevated

Stones or obstruction of the ureter may appear on:

• kidney ultrasound
• IVP (intravenous pyelogram)
• abdominal X-rays
• retrograde pyelogram
• abdominal CT scan
• abdominal/kidney MRI