Stones in the bladder

According to statistics, urolithiasis occurs in 14% of the world’s population. Often stones in the bladder (cystolithiasis) can be one of the manifestations of urolithiasis (nephrolithiasis). In most cases, they are found either in young boys (preschool age) or in men over 50 years old, but their composition will be different – in children, calculi are composed of calcium compounds, in the elderly, uric acid is present in their composition. Stones can be primary – appear in the bladder itself and secondary – get into it from the kidneys. They also come in different sizes: small (microlites), large (macroliths) and density: from soft and plastic to hard and sharp. In the bladder, there can be both one calculus and many.

Symptoms of bladder stones

Sometimes the disease is asymptomatic and a person learns about his diagnosis suddenly, when he has a serious urination disorder. People can attribute the symptoms that precede this to other illnesses. For example, bladder stones can cause pain in the lower abdomen, so women often think that discomfort is a manifestation of premenstrual syndrome or ovulation, inflammation of the ovaries, or digestive problems. In men, pain can be given to the penis, and it can occur suddenly and be very strong. In general, it is typical for bladder stones to “confuse” their owner – pain can be given almost anywhere: in the thigh, in the back, in the genitals.

A specific symptom of a stone or stones in the bladder is a violation of the outflow of urine. When emptying, the urine stream may be interrupted, the urine sometimes becomes cloudy or stained with blood, which occurs if the stones injure the walls of the organ or the urethra. Sometimes patients can only urinate while lying down. Frequent complications of cystothyliasis are cystitis and pyelonephritis.

Treatment of bladder stones

If small stones are found, conservative treatment is prescribed – medications, compliance with the drinking regime and, of course, a diet, depending on the composition of the stones. Stones are also removed by lithotripsy: ultrasonic or laser. In some cases, when the condition is acute, for example, urine does not leave and accumulates in the bladder, bleeding occurs or very large stones are performed, an operation is performed – suprapubic cystolithomy.

After removing the stone surgically, the patient is prescribed antibiotics and a catheter is placed to drain urine. If the disease is prolonged and changes appear on the walls of the bladder, a biopsy and histological examination of the tissue are performed.

Diagnostics

Ultrasound machines “see” stones in the bladder. However, the doctor can assess the patient’s condition in more detail, especially with a long illness, by performing a cystoscopy: a cystoscope, a tube with an optical device and a backlight are inserted into the urethra. Thus, a specialist can assess in detail the condition of the bladder mucosa, identify organ tumors or other concomitant diseases in time.

Modern treatments

An effective and gentle way to remove stones from the bladder is laser lithotripsy using a holmium laser. Fragments of crushed stone are removed from the bladder by washing, and the whole procedure, together with the rehabilitation period, takes 1-3 days.

Unfortunately, this technique has a number of contraindications, and it is used for small or medium-sized stones.

Prevention of bladder stones

One of the reasons for the appearance of stones in the bladder in men is a violation of the outflow of urine due to obstructions in the urethra or bladder neck, which happens with prostatitis or prostate cancer. Thus, the prevention of the appearance of stones here will be the treatment of the underlying disease.

In other cases, it is important to observe the dietary regimen and sufficient fluid intake, mainly clean water.

Popular questions and answers

Patients with bladder stones are often asked typical questions. We asked them to answer nephrologist Natalya Zakuraeva.