Urinary calculi

Clinical Nutrition
Lesson 29: Renal disease

Urinary calculi

Urinary calculi are solid particles in the urinary system. They may cause pain, nausea, vomiting, hematuria, and, possibly, chills and fever from secondary infection.

Nephrolithiasis: refers to the condition of having kidney stones.
Urolithiasis:
refers to the condition of having calculi in the urinary tract
Ureterolithiasis
is the condition of having a calculus in the ureter
Bladder stones
usually applies to urolithiasis of the bladder in non-human animals such as dogs and cats.

Kidney stones do not have single, well-defined cause, but are the result of a combination of factors. A stone is created when the urine does not have the correct balance of fluid and a combination of minerals and acids. When the urine contains more crystal-forming substances than the fluid can dilute, crystals can form. Normally the urine contains components that prevent these crystals from attaching to each other. However, when these substances fall below their normal proportions, stones can form out of an accumulation of crystals.

Table Composition of Urinary Calculi.

Composition of Urinary Calculi
Composition
Percentage of All Calculi
Common Causes
 
Calcium oxalate
70
Hypercalciuria
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypocitruria
Renal tubular acidosis
Calcium phosphate
15
Hypercalciuria
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypocitruria
Renal tubular acidosis
Cystine
2
Cystinuria
Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite)
3
UTI caused by urea-splitting bacteria
Uric acid
10
Hyperuricosuria


Increased urine acidity
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Last modified: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 3:22 PM