Fast Five Quiz: Kidney Stones (Renal Calculi)

Patients with urinary calculi may report pain, infection, or hematuria. Small nonobstructing stones in the kidneys only occasionally cause symptoms. If present, symptoms are usually moderate and easily controlled. The passage of stones into the ureter with subsequent acute obstruction, proximal urinary tract dilation, and spasm is associated with classic renal colic.

The typical presentation for a patient with acute renal colic is the sudden onset of severe pain originating in the flank and radiating inferiorly and anteriorly. The pain is usually, but not always, associated with microscopic hematuria, nausea, and vomiting. Costovertebral angle tenderness is common; this pain can move to the upper or lower abdominal quadrant as a ureteral stone migrates distally. However, the rest of the examination findings are often unremarkable.

Patients with large renal stones known as staghorn calculi are often relatively asymptomatic. The term "staghorn" refers to the presence of a branched kidney stone occupying the renal pelvis and at least one calyceal system. Such calculi usually manifest as infection and hematuria rather than as acute pain.

Renal calculi are common, occurring in 1 per 11 individuals during their lifetimes; men are affected twice as often as women. Most stones form in persons aged 20-50 years.

Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Vecihi Batuman. Fast Five Quiz: Kidney Stones (Renal Calculi) - Medscape - May 12, 2021.

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