Kidney Stones

Mr. Sánchez diagnostic is Nephrolithiasis which is another name for kidney stones also called renal calculi. Renal calculi are like little pieces of stones almost the size of the grain of sand that stuck in the ureters that formed in the kidneys. During urination, the patient will experience severe pain from passing out stones through the ureter. Kidney stones occur from a buildup of certain substances as well as minerals found in the urine such as calcium phosphate and uric acid. According to Livestrong, calcium phosphate known as hydroxyapatite is the primary mineral your body uses to build and strengthen bones and teeth. According to Wikipedia, uric acid is a product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides, and it is a normal component of urine. When the blood is concentrated in a high level of uric acid this can lead to gout that associated with other medical complications such as diabetes and the development of ammonium acid urate calculi. These minerals along with other substances travel through the bloodstream forming solid masses called stones.

     Luckily, after the excruciating occurrence, the stone usually doesn’t damage anything. Sometimes there comes a situation where the kidney stone either becomes too big or for some reason gets wedged in the urinary tract and the pain worsens. Also, the urine begins to get backed up, and the bladder and urinary tract begins to get infected. Thus, an operation must be performed. Originally, they were removed, either by slicing the bladder or kidney open, or by shoving an instrument up the ureter. Fortunately, through the miracles of technology, one does not necessarily have to go through this “invasive” treatment. Instead, there is a treatment that uses shockwaves to slice up the stone. This is called kidney stone lithotripsy. A large machine uses sound waves to break up the stone into small fragments that can be more easily passed through.

Nephritis is the inflammation of one or both kidneys. Causes may include: kidney conditions, lupus nephritis, neuropathy etc. Types of nephritis include: acute, chronic, glomerulonephritis, and autoimmune. Symptoms include: cloudy and bloody urine or reduced urine, and loin pain.

Men are more likely to have kidney stones, because their urinary tract is larger than women's. Men are more prone to kidney stones their weight and size. Kidney stones are caused by low fluid intake, hot environments, high salt and protein intake, depending on your body kidney stones are able to develop due to lack of support from your body. As being the medical assistant I would be sure to make sure they are drinking plenty of water and are getting plenty of rest. I would also tell my patient to eat healthy fruit as is, without adding sugar or salt.

Many areas incorporate chemicals referred to as purines, which in turn separate typically for making uric damaging. Almost all blood-borne uric damaging is going harmlessly through the kidneys, the actual FDA explained, nonetheless an overabundance on the damaging can easily induce the action program regarding uric jewels, which in turn go up to obtain gout.

Hyperparathyroidism results in an increased tendency to develop renal calculi due to the elevated serum calcium and metastatic calcifications of soft tissues including blood vessels is also common. Patients will also commonly develop duodenal ulcers and may have a change in mental status resulting in lethargy, weakness, and confusion.

Nephrolithiasis can be suspected based on the history and physical examination. However, lab works and diagnostic imaging are important to confirm and exclude the diagnosis of nephrolithiasis. Urinalysis is performed to examine the presence of blood, urine pH and crystals to identify the contents of the stone as well as infection. An elevated WBC count or presence of bacteria in the urine is a sign of infection. Identifying the stone composition will help to direct the medical therapy for the patient. A 24 hour urine collection is done to identify dietary and individual risk factors for recurrent nephrolithiasis. Several imaging studies can be performed to rule out nephrolithiasis. If a patient is pregnant or contraindicated for better imaging

Your urine test and physical exam showed a kidney infection. This is called pyelonephritis. It is a urinary tract infection that affects your kidney. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, and the urethra. Most kidney infections result from lower urinary tract infections, usually bladder infections, and occur when bacteria travel from the vagina or rectal area into the urethra and bladder. The urethra is the tube that empties urine from the bladder. From the bladder, the bacteria travel up the ureter or ureters into the kidney or kidneys. The ureters are the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. In women, the urethra is very short, which allows bacteria to spread to the bladder easily, and eventually, the kidney.

Why are men more prone to having kidney stones? I would have to say that they are more prone to having them because of the diet they are eating and working with. Men like to drink Mtn. Dew and that can cause kidney stones and that is a big kicker for it. Men have more muscle mass and can also cause them. With being out in the medical field when my pt has a kidney stone I can educate them on them and get them the help that they need.

You lie on a water-filled cushion, and the surgeon uses X-rays or ultrasound tests to precisely locate the stone. High-energy sound waves pass through your body without injuring it and break the stone into small pieces. These small pieces move through the urinary tract and out of the body more easily than a large stone.

Uric Acid stones precipitate under these circumstances increased urinary uric acid concentration secondary to overproduction, increased renal tubular uric acid secretion, decrease renal tubular uric acid reabsorption, decrease in the urinary volume or increased hydrogen ion concentration. Some causes include purine enzyme defects, leading to overproduction and increased uric acid concentration in the urine for example, HGPRT deficiency, PRPP synthetase overactivity and G6P deficiency. Other causes include myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders, hemolytic anemias or cytotoxic drug related causes. Lastly increased dietary purine intake, hyperuricemia, dehydration, decreased glomerular filtration and renal tubular uric acid reabsorption

Pyelonephritis, or a kidney infection, is a form of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Most of these infections are caused by an infection of your lower urinary tract, like your bladder, first that then spreads upstream to your kidneys. Your kidneys are part of your upper urinary tract that help filter your blood to make urine, and work around the clock to do this. In one day, your 2 kidneys combined filter anywhere from 120 to 150 quarts of blood, which is equivalent to 30-37.5 gallons of blood filtered per day. You have 2 kidneys which are bean shaped and about the size of a fist.

The treatment of nephrolithiasis has undergone a rapid evolution over the past years. The introduction and refinement of extracorporeal, endourologic,and percutaneous techniques have caused a shift in the first-line management of even complex renal stones. Today, PCNL in conjunction with shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has replaced open stone surgery at most institutions (Matlaga et al, 2002).

- Hypercalcuria: increased calcium in the body, which may be the cause of up to half of the kidney stones.

Some factors may increase your risk of developing kidney stones. Family or personal history, certain diets, dehydration, being obese, and digestive diseases are just some risk factors in developing kidney stones. There are multiple tests that can be done to diagnose kidney stones. Blood test, urine test, imaging, and analyzing passed kidney stones are just some of the noninvasive tests doctors can do to determine a diagnosis. Most kidnet stones do not require any invasive treatment. Small kidney stones can be passed on there own. Drinking water, pain relievers, and medical therapy may assist in this process. Larger kidney stones that may be too large to pass on their own may require more extensive treatment. Using sound waves to break up stones, surgery, using a scope, or parathyroid gland surgery are some treatment