Bladder Stones Treatment in Delhi, India

Bladder stones are hard calcified masses found in the urinary bladder. They are composed of solidified minerals found in the urine that gradually build up over time and form stones. They are painful and cause discomfort to the patient and also block urine outflow or bladder emptying.

Associated Anatomy of Bladder Stones

Urinary bladder, kidney, ureter

Alternative Name of Bladder Stone

Bladder Calculi

Bladder Stones Causes

It has several underlying causes, which include:

Structure Urethra

• Benign hyperplasia of the prostate: This condition puts pressure on the urethra and causes incomplete emptying of the bladder.
• Nerve damage in the bladder or neurogenic bladder: It disrupts the functioning of the bladder.
• Post-bladder surgery: It causes injury to the bladder tissues.
• Bladder diverticula: Abnormal sac-like formations in the bladder cause the stoppage of urine outflow.
• Cystocele: The wall of the bladder pulls down in the vagina and creates pressure on the bladder.

Bladder Stones Symptoms

Most of the time, bladder stones remain asymptomatic and don't cause any discomfort to the patient. If the stones are tiny, they pass out through urine easily. However, large stones cause pain and discomfort to the person and if neglected can cause bladder tumour also. Some other bladder stone symptoms include:

• Pain: Severe (stabbing) pain occurs while urinating and pain in the abdominal region, including the genitals.
• Increased frequency of urination: It occurs because of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs): These occur because urine stays in the bladder for a long duration causing repeated infections.
• Presence of blood in the urine: It occurs because of a laceration of the bladder wall.

Bladder Stones Diagnosis

Doctors can diagnose bladder stones through various tests, which include:

Urine examination

It analyzes the presence of infections and minerals in the urine sample.

Cystoscopy

In this test, a small endoscope is inserted into the bladder to directly look at the stones in the bladder through a small camera.

Intravenous pyelogram

This test checks the presence of stones and other structures like kidneys, ureters, bladder.

Typical Test to Diagnose Bladder Stones

Lower abdominal imaging like X-rays, CT scans, flexible cystoscopy and ultrasound evaluate the presence, size, and exact location of the bladder stones.

Differential Diagnosis of Bladder Stones

Bladder stone pain can resemble a lot with other similar conditions like:

• Urinary tract infection
• Kidney stones
• Urothelial carcinoma
• Prostate enlargement

Bladder Stones Treatment

If bladder stones are tiny, drinking plenty of water is recommended to pass them through urination.

Taking alkalizers with water also dissolutes uric acid stones to some extent. However, the overuse of alkalizers can be harmful and can further lead to the formation of calcium phosphate stones in the bladder.

With large stones, cystolitholapaxy is one of the common procedures for removing bladder stones. It removes the stones by breaking them into smaller fragments using laser or ultrasonic methods.

In the case of very large stones keyhole surgery of the bladder is done to remove the stones.

Risk Factors of Bladder Stones

• Gender: Males are more prone to bladder stones than females.
• Age: Chances of bladder stones increase after 50 years.
• Benign hyperplasia of prostate (BHP): A condition occurring in elderly men that causes the enlargement of the prostate gland.
• Bladder surgery: Any surgical procedure done to treat urinary incontinence increases the risk of bladder cancer.

Possible Complications of Bladder Stones

• Urinary tract infections (UTI): Increased frequency of UTIs in the cases of bladder stones, if not treated on time.
• Urethritis and bladder cysts
• Bladder cancer

Bladder Stone Prevention

Primary Prevention for Bladder Stone

There is no way to prevent the occurrence of bladder stones. If you have issues associated with the prostate, like delayed emptying of the bladder after urination, you can consult your kidney transplant surgeon's doctor so that you don’t develop bladder stones. For people with UTIs, it is always recommended to double void your bladder so that there is no urine left in the bladder after urination.

Secondary Prevention for Bladder Stones

Drinking a lot of water can help prevent the formation of stones by making the urine less concentrated in people who are at risk of developing bladder stones.

Epidemiology of Bladder Stones

The incidence of bladder stones is increasing in developing countries because of dietary changes and dehydration. Deficiency of vitamins and the intake of fatty diets are associated with the risk of developing bladder stones. In India, 1-19% of the population has bladder stones. It is more common in men over the age of 50 years.

Prognosis of Bladder Stones

With treatment advancement, bladder stones are treated effectively with minimally invasive surgical procedures. Moreover, the treatment of enlarged prostate is recommended in patients having a history of urinary bladder stones to prevent a recurrence.

Natural Progression of Bladder Stones

If left untreated, bladder stones grow in size and create issues like urinary tract infections, pain, bleeding, and discomfort during urination. They also lead to chronic damage to the bladder muscles, thus making them weak.

Bladder Stones Pathophysiology

Bladder stones, just like kidney stones, form because of excess calcium oxalate, calcium phosphates, and uric acid in your urine. This build-up of crystals further speeds up if you have some issues in bladder emptying.

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