Nephrolithiasis
Renal · ~5% of blueprint- Pathophysiology
- Urinary supersaturation → stone formation (calcium oxalate is most common).
- Signs & Symptoms
- Sudden severe colicky flank pain in waves radiating to groin/testis or labia, hematuria, N/V, restlessness.
- Gold Standard Diagnosis
- Non-contrast CT abdomen/pelvis (gold standard); ultrasound in pregnancy.
- First-line Treatment
- Hydration + analgesia (NSAIDs); tamsulosin optional (benefit mainly distal 5–10 mm); urology if obstructing.
High-Yield Pearl
Stones <5 mm usually pass; obstruction with infection is a urologic emergency.
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Gross Anatomy
Physiology
Sources
Reviewed September 2026- Canadian Urological Association guideline: Management of ureteral calculi (full-text version) — Canadian Urological Association, 2021
- Canadian Urological Association guideline: Evaluation and medical management of kidney stones — Canadian Urological Association, 2022
- StatPearls: Renal Calculi, Nephrolithiasis — StatPearls Publishing (NCBI Bookshelf), 2024
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