3-1

MediFocus MedCenter ©

Renal Calculi (Kidney Stones)
(NK014)

Introduction


Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones, renal calculi) is the development of stones within the kidney that may then be passed through the ureters into the bladder and excreted with the urine. This process of stone passage may be painless if the stones are very small, or may cause significant pain (renal colic).

Nephrolithiasis is a common disorder affecting between 5-15% of Americans. Most stones seem to occur during the fourth and fifth decades of life in men and somewhat earlier in women

While kidney stones can cause significant pain during the acute episode, the risk of kidney failure is very small and occurs only with obstruction of both kidneys or the obstruction of a remaining kidney when one is not functioning or has been removed.

While the majority (80-90%) of stones eventually pass without intervention, the remaining stones require intervention known as lithotripsy or, rarely, surgical intervention to be removed.

MediFocus Guides... When You Need Trustworthy Medical Information


The Medifocus Guide on Nephrolithiasis provides answers to the following important questions and medical issues:


What Your Doctor Reads:


This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:


MediFocus Guides... When You Need Trustworthy Medical Information


MediFocus.com understands that consumers who are facing serious medical issues need access to credible, up-to-date medical information to help them make informed health-care decisions. That's why we've developed the MediFocus Guides...the most advanced and trustworthy patient research guides for over 200 chronic and life-threatening conditions. Each MediFocus Guide includes a detailed overview of the condition including information about diagnosis, treatment options, cutting-edge research, and new developments; excerpts of important journal articles from the current medical literature focusing on standard treatments and treatment options; a directory of leading authors and medical institutions who specialize in the treatment of the condition; and a listing of organizations and support groups where you can obtain additional information about the illness.

MediFocus Guides are the perfect solution for consumers who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of their medical issue and avail themselves of the same type of professional level medical information that is used by physicians and other health-care professionals to help then in the clinical decision making process.

© Copyright 2000-2001 Medifocus.com, Inc. All rights reserved.


Return to the MedFocus Medical Center Main Directory