Kidney stones are hardened formations in the kidneys that usually cause severe pain.
Recently, journalist and presenter Felipe Andreoli shared, on his social networks, that he underwent emergency surgery to remove kidney stones, the famous “kidney stones”. A very painful condition, it usually appears in one out of ten people throughout their lives and can be enhanced by several factors.
“Very current diseases and conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are risk factors for the formation of kidney stones“, explains nephrologist Dr. Caroline Reigada, specialist in Intensive Care Medicine by the Brazilian Association of Intensive Care Medicine.
Still according to her, this is a disease that tends to recur and often requires medical intervention. “The patient may need several surgical interventions and hospitalizations, reducing their quality of life, leading to absenteeism at work and even chronic pain, when the stones are not properly treated / investigated”, she says.
Formation of kidney stones
But, after all, are the calculations always the same? “No! There are several types. Knowing exactly what the kidney stone is made of will make all the difference to the treatment directed against their training,” explains Dr. Caroline Reigada.
In general, stones are formed when there is an excess of some substance in the urine, such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid (giving rise to crystals), or when there is a lack of citrate in the urine, considered a protector against the formation of calculus. “All this can happen when the pH (acidity) of the urine changes. Also, when we eat little water, we pee little. Soon, these crystals are saturated in the urine, forming the so-called calculations”, highlights the doctor.
Most common types of calculations
The main types of kidney stones are: calcium, uric acid, struvite, drug and cystine. “Calcium calculus is the most common, representing 90% of cases […]. A low water intake and calcium (that is, ingesting little calcium) are factors that lead to this type of calculation”, explains the nephrologist.
Calcium consumption is important for health. “Beware of old guidelines. Do not cut calcium from your diet (milk and derivatives). Studies have already proven that a lack of calcium in the diet can stimulate the formation of stones and that, contrary to what was thought, the patient with calculus should eat a normal amount of food with calcium per day”, adds Dr. Caroline Reigada.
uric acid calculation
Uric acid stones are more common in men and represent 8% of all cases. “A diet with excessive purines (seafood and meat) leads to increased production of monosodium urate, which can turn to stone. This type of stone can have family influence”, says the doctor.
struvite calculation
Struvite calculus represents 1% of cases, but they are the ones that grow the most and can block the points in the urinary system where they are found. “They are rare and associated with infection. If not treated, they can cause loss of function of the kidneys,” says Dr. Caroline Reigada.
medication calculations
With incidences of less than 1%, there are also stones from medications (such as the antivirals acyclovir and indinavir and the diuretic triamterene) and cystine stones (in people with a chronic kidney disease called cystinuria, a familial genetic disease).
Treatments for kidney stones
The nephrologist emphasizes that, currently, there are several treatment options for stone removal, such as:
- Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL): breaks the stones by shock waves applied to the skin;
- Ureterolithotripsy: the shock waves are applied directly to the calculus through an endoscope (a type of catheter with a camera at the tip) inserted through the urethral orifice into the ureter;
- percutaneous nephrolithotripsy: small surgery performed through a 1 cm cut in the skin of the lumbar region and introduction of an endoscope to locate the calculation. “The stone is broken and the fragments are removed using tweezers”, highlights the doctor;
- open surgery: little performed these days, it is usually done in staghorn calculi (large stones that are formed by the presence of some types of bacteria in the urine).
Diagnosis of the disease
The diagnosis is made by investigating the cause of the stones and whether there is any disease behind this formation. “The investigation basically consists of the analysis of some substances (calcium, citrate and uric acid) in the urine collected in 24 hours, dosage of some substances in the blood (calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone and venous gasometry) and review of the diet to check if there is any deviation that favors the formation of stones”, says Dr. Caroline Reigada.
Importance of treatment for kidney stones
After the diagnosis, it is important to properly follow the treatment indicated by the doctor. “If not treated correctly, in 5 years there will be a 50% chance that the patient will have kidney stones again, with new pain and symptoms related to the passage of the stone through the urinary tract, to kidney obstruction, which requires emergency surgery”, concludes the doctor.
By Maria Claudia Amoroso
Source: Maxima
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.