Bladder lithiasis Stones (calculi) in the bladder

The appearance of stones (stones) in the bladder can have several origins. The most frequent is the bad emptying of the bladder, with consequent urinary stasis, which promotes the aggregation of crystals resulting in calculations that grow over time.

The two most common causes for poor bladder emptying are infra-bladder obstruction (due to pathology of the prostate or urethra) and neurogenic bladder (a condition in which the bladder or urinary sphincter is not adequately controlled by the central nervous system).
The less common causes of bladder stones include: stones that migrate from the kidney, prolapse of Organs pelvic organs; abnormalities of the bladder morphology, and foreign bodies, such as algal and ureteral catheters.

Some patients have no symptoms at all, even with large calculi. Others may report symptoms from mild to severe, such as abdominal or pelvic pain, difficulty in urination or increased urination frequency, pain during urination, blood in the urine, recurrent urinary infections or inability to urinate.

The diagnosis is usually made through a bladder ultrasound. It can be complemented with simple radiography of the urinary tract, computed tomography or urethrocystoscopy.

Small calculations can be spontaneously eliminated.
But most patients will need treatment with surgical intervention for fragmentation and / or removal of the stone (s). Usually, it is possible to perform a minimally invasive surgery through the urethra.

Patients with bladder stones benefit greatly from treating the cause of bladder stones, in order to decrease the likelihood of recurrence.