What causes urachal stones? These are the culprits!

Urachal stones are a type of stone that occurs below the navel and are very harmful to the human body. There are many reasons for urachal stones. Not paying attention to diet or long-term fatigue can easily cause urachal stones. Urachal stones can be treated with medication.

Urinary stones are a common disease of the kidneys. "Stones" growing in the ureter or bladder can cause pain, hematuria, frequent urination, urgency, fever, chills, etc. If urinary stones are found, they should be treated promptly.

Urinary stones are a general term for stone diseases in various parts of the urinary system and are a common disease of the urinary system . Depending on the location of the stones, they are divided into kidney stones, ureteral stones, bladder stones, and urethral stones. The formation of this disease is closely related to environmental factors, systemic diseases and urinary system diseases. Its typical clinical manifestations include lumbar and abdominal colic, hematuria, or symptoms of urinary tract obstruction and infection such as frequent urination, urgency, and pain when urinating.

Urinary stones are stones located in the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Kidney and ureteral stones are mainly manifested as active urinary stones

The related hematuria and pain are typically manifested as renal colic; the typical symptoms of bladder stones are sudden interruption of urination and pain, and bladder irritation symptoms (frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination, etc.); the typical symptoms of urethral stones are acute urinary retention with severe pain in the perineum, and may also manifest as difficulty urinating and pain during urination. The incidence of urinary stones in the elderly is quite high. This is because bone decalcification and osteoporosis in old age cause a large amount of calcium in the bones to enter the blood and be excreted in the urine. As a result, the calcium content in the urine increases, which can easily induce urinary stones.

Urinary tract stones are one of the most common urological diseases. There are more males than females, about 4 to 5:1. The formation mechanism has not been fully elucidated and there are many theories. The recurrence rate is high. There is no ideal method for preventing most stones. The incidence of urolithiasis is regional. In my country, it is mostly found south of the Yangtze River. Relatively rare in the north. In the past three decades, the incidence of upper urinary tract (kidney and ureter) stones in my country has increased significantly, while lower urinary tract (bladder) stones have become increasingly rare. Among bladder stones, primary stones are significantly less common than secondary stones.

Urachal calculi are kidney stones that become lodged in the ureter during excretion. In this case, it is recommended to exercise more, drink more water, see if the stones can be excreted, and check the size of the stones regularly. If the blockage causes water accumulation, surgery is required to remove it.

Clinical manifestations

Hematuria is another major symptom of kidney and ureteral stones. When pain occurs, it is often accompanied by macroscopic hematuria or microscopic hematuria, with the latter being more common. Large amounts of gross hematuria are uncommon. Hematuria may worsen after physical labor. Occasionally, patients seek medical attention because of painless hematuria. In recent years, routine physical examinations have shown a significant increase in the number of people with asymptomatic kidney stones as detected by urine routine and B-ultrasound.

Common complications of kidney and ureteral stones are obstruction and infection, and many cases seek medical treatment due to symptoms of urinary tract infection. Obstruction can cause hydronephrosis and a mass in the upper abdomen or waist. Sometimes there is tenderness along the course of the ureter. Solitary kidney or bilateral urinary tract stones cause anuria due to obstruction, which is called stone obstructive anuria.

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1. Medical history

A detailed medical history can often provide valuable information. Activity-related pain and hematuria should be considered as upper urinary tract stones. This is more likely if typical renal colic occurs.

2. Physical examination

During the quiescent phase of renal colic, there is only percussion pain at the costovertebral angle on the affected side. When colic occurs, the patient's body is flexed, the abdominal muscles are tense, and there may be tenderness and local muscle tension at the costovertebral angle. Those with hydronephrosis can feel the swollen and tender kidneys when the abdominal muscles are relaxed. In most cases of kidney stones without obstruction, there are no obvious signs.

3. Imaging examination

Type B ultrasound examination is economical, convenient, harmless to the human body, and can be used as a screening method. In recent years, many asymptomatic kidney stones have been found during routine physical examinations. This examination can also provide information on the condition of hydronephrosis in the kidney and ureter and the thickness of the renal cortex. It is very helpful for the diagnosis of negative stones. But stones cannot be detected when they are too small.

(1) X-ray examination is an important step in the diagnosis of kidney and ureteral stones. It can help us understand the appearance of the kidney, the size, shape, number and location of the stones, the shape of the renal pelvis, kidney function and bone changes, especially the anatomical abnormalities of the kidney and ureter.

(2) The urinary tract X-ray (KUB) must include the entire urinary system. 95% of kidney stones can be seen on plain X-rays. Different types of stones also have their own characteristics on X-ray films.

(3) Radionuclide renal imaging and scanning can help understand the degree of renal function damage and the extent of obstruction caused by stones.

(4) CT examination can show X-ray negative stones (uric acid stones).

4. Ureteroscopy and nephroscopy

This examination and treatment can be performed when the abdominal X-ray does not show stones and the intravenous urography (IVU) shows a filling defect and cannot confirm the diagnosis.