Urinary (Kidney) Stone Disease

Urinary Stone Disease - Urinary (Kidney) Stone Disease

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About the Kidneys and Urinary (Kidney) Stone Disease

The kidneys are two apple-sized organs located at the back of the torso below the ribs. Together the kidneys process about 100 gallons of blood every day, filtering and cleaning it as it passes through nearly 40 miles of tiny tubes, and producing urine from the waste and excess fluid.

As they remove waste the kidneys also work to maintain an optimal amount of water in the body and a proper balance of liquid and dissolved solids in the urine. If fluid levels fall or mineral levels rise, the urine can become overloaded with insoluble minerals. These crystalline substances start to bind together, and over time accumulate layer upon layer, forming a stone. A kidney stone may grow for months or even years before it causes symptoms. Usually when symptoms appear the stone has blocked the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder, causing pressure to build in the kidney. A million Americans develop kidney stones each year.

Our Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment for Urinary (Kidney) Stone Disease

Doctors at Columbia University Department of Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital are expert at diagnosing stones and treating them using both traditional and holistic measures. We see 1,500 to 2,000 patients with kidney stones each year – more patients than any other medical center in the United States. At our comprehensive, state-of-the-art facility we offer patients an all-inclusive medical, surgical, nutritional, and preventative approach to treat urinary stone disease using the latest technological treatment advances. We have special expertise in the prevention and dietary management of kidney stones and in noninvasive therapies. Columbia Urology's urinary stone disease program is directed by Mantu Gupta, M.D., a renowned researcher and endoscopic surgeon. We also specialize in treating complex conditions such as staghorn calculi, cystine stones, stones refractory to shock-wave lithotripsy, and recurrent kidney stones.

Kidney stones can cause minimal to severe damage depending on their location of the stone in the urinary system. To avoid or minimize damage, it is important to eliminate stones and prevent new ones from developing. Doctors at the Columbia University Kidney Stone Center have had great success treating kidney stones and prompting them to dissolve using nutritional changes and dietary supplements that have a proper balance of vitamins and minerals. We are also researching holistic therapy and herbal or natural medicines to treat metabolically active urinary stone disease.