Urolithiasis: The process of forming stones in the kidney, bladder, and/or urethra

(urinary tract).
Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank,
or groin. Kidney stones occur in 1 in 20 people at some time in their life.
The development of the stones is related to decreased urine volume or increased excretion
of stone-forming components such as calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and
phosphate. The stones form in the urine collecting area (the pelvis) of the kidney and may
range in size from tiny to staghorn stones the size of the renal pelvis itself.
The cystine stones (below) compared in size to a quarter (a U.S. $0.25 coin) were
obtained from the kidney of a young woman by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PNL), a
procedure for crushing and removing the dense stubborn stones characteristic of
cystinuria. The pain with kidney stones is usually of sudden onset, very severe and
colicky (intermittent), not improved by changes in position, radiating from the back,
down the flank, and into the groin. Nausea and vomiting are common.
Factors predisposing to kidney stones include recent reduction in fluid intake, increased
exercise with dehydration, medications that cause hyperuricemia (high uric acid) and a
history of gout.
Treatment includes relief of pain, hydration and, if there is concurrent urinary infection,
antibiotics.