Kidney stones: Causes and treatments
Written by:Urinary stones are one of the main pathologies in men over 50 years old and overweight. This is revealed by a study coordinated by Dr. Pérez-Castro, head of the unit of Renal Lithotripsy and Endourology of the Clínica La Luz. The data show that 66.3% of the patients are men with an average age of 49 years, compared to 33.7% of Spanish women.
Causes of calculations
The lithiasis or urinary stones is a pathology suffered by two million people of the Spanish population that is derived from diets rich in protein, calcium and salt and poor in liquids, fruits and vegetables. In addition, moderate overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 26.7, also seems to be one of the main causes to suffer from this ailment. The way to prevent them is by drinking three liters of water daily and conducting periodic reviews. This international study, published in the journal of the European Association of Urology, also reveals that, of the 9,681 patients consulted from 32 different countries, people with several calculations at the same time are those who tend to have a higher degree of overweight (BMI of 27.4).
Treatment: ureteroscopy and shock waves
For years, the best system to solve stones in the urinary tract is through ureteroscopy, surgical intervention not very aggressive and performed by endoscopy. This technique is still the best and most effective way for most cases of lithiasis. To use this method, a ureteroscope, a device consisting of a camera, is introduced through the urinary tract in the most minimally invasive way possible, until the stones are located and removed, thanks to a laser.. The interventions last approximately 45 minutes.
Depending on the location of the calculations, one chooses another of the systems that are shock waves, and of which Dr. Enrique Pérez-Castro has been a pioneer in its use.. This second option consists of sending several waves to the calculation and due to the successive accumulation of them, a pressure is produced that ends up eliminating it.
Thanks to the increasingly smaller size of the diameter of the ureteroscope and the existence of different types, both rigid and semi-rigid, make it the best way to remove stones. Even so, depending on the area where this pathology is found, one technique or another is used. In the case of shock waves, they are used in calculations that are in high areas, near or inside the kidney. On the other hand, the ureteroscope technique is used in localized calculations in the distal and middle sections of the urinary system. The study also concludes that 76.6 percent of patients are successfully operated and the problem is solved in its entirety.
