Urolithiasis refers to urinary stones, a common condition since one in 10 people is affected in France. When localized in the kidney, stones are usually asymptomatic, they do not cause pain.
The bladder is the reservoir in which urine from the kidneys is stored before being evacuated during urination. The neck of the bladder opens during urination, which allows the proper flow of urine. The urethra is the channel through which urine is expelled from the bladder.
Urinary stones are solid particles in the urinary tract. Stones can vary in size and reach up to several centimeters. Depending on their size, they are treated differently. Stones are made up of minerals in urine that form crystals. Sometimes the crystals become stones. About 85% of calculations are composed of calcium, the others being composed of different substances, such as uric acid, cystine or struvite. While most stones pass through urination, some require treatment or even surgery.
The nature of the substances that make up urinary stones is varied. We distinguish in particular:
Stones can form because the urine becomes saturated with salts or because the urine lacks agents that normally inhibit stone formation: citrate is one such inhibitor, which under normal conditions binds to calcium, itself (…)
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