Stones Clinic – Kidney and Ureteric Stones
Overview of the services
Some patients diagnosed with stones in the kidney or ureter (the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder) will be seen in an outpatient Stone Clinic appointment. Your GP or a Doctor from another speciality may have referred you, or you may have been seen in A+E or Urgent Care and referred to Stone Clinic for the next stages of your kidney stone management.
Our team of specialist Doctors, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Radiographers will work together to assess and advise you on the most suitable ways of managing your condition, offer treatment options and will provide you with information about preventing stones from forming again in the future.
Kidney stones are quite common. They affect men more often than women and are generally seen in people aged 30 to 60, although people of any age can make a stone.
The kidneys filter blood and get rid of any waste. This waste is turned into urine and passes out from the kidneys, down the ureter and is stored in the bladder. Urine is then released from the bladder and passed out through the urethra. Sometimes, the substances in the urine can form crystals. These crystals can grow and turn into stones.
Most kidney stones do not require treatment. If the stones are small and not causing any problems, you may not need any further follow up. Small stones may drop out of the kidney and pass out on their own. Some stones remain small and never move out of the kidney. Diet and lifestyle changes can help to prevent stones from forming or growing. Drinking plenty and avoiding salty, processed foods are generally the effective ways to prevent stones.
However, sometimes stones can build up inside the kidney and may cause a blockage to the flow of urine or infection in the urinary system. Stones can also cause some blood in the urine and can lead to pain or pressure in the side, lower back or groin. For bigger stones or more complex cases, treatment may be needed. Treatments can include shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy with laser fragmentation of stones and PCNL (percutaneous nephrolithotomy). Some stones can be dissolved with medication. In some cases, medications may be used to prevent further stone growth.
The Stone Team can discuss stone management, stone treatments (invasive and non-invasive) and stone prevention. You may be referred on for further tests and investigations to find out why you are making kidney stones, especially if you have made the recommended changes to your diet and lifestyle but continue to make stones. You can find out more information about diet and lifestyle changes in this Dietary Advice for Stone Formers Leaflet.
Emergency, Inpatient, Outpatient and Day Case Care:
What will happen at my Outpatient Clinic appointment?
Please read your Outpatient Clinic letter closely and follow any instructions. You may be asked to bring a urine sample with you or have an x-ray when you first arrive in the department. When you arrive for your appointment, please check in at reception to confirm if a urine sample is needed for your appointment before using the bathroom. Please also confirm your most up to date contact details at Reception.
Please note that you may not be seen at the appointment time given. Clinics can often run ahead or behind schedule and patients will be called through in the order that they are scheduled, not in the order that they arrive. Patients attending multiple clinics can be sat in the same waiting area, so you may see patients arrive after you who are seen before you.