Pathophysiology and Symptoms
Stones can cause disease by several mechanisms:
- Irritation of nearby tissues, causing pain, swelling, and inflammation.
- Obstruction of an opening or duct, interfering with normal flow and disrupting the function of the organ in question.
- Predisposition to infection (often due to disruption of normal flow).
A number of important medical conditions are caused by stones:
- Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones)
- Can cause hydronephrosis (swollen kidneys) and renal failure
- Can predispose to pyelonephritis (kidney infections)
- Can progress to urolithiasis
- Urolithiasis (urinary bladder stones)
- Can progress to bladder outlet obstruction
- Cholelithiasis (gallstones)
- Can predispose to cholecystitis (gall bladder infections) and ascending cholangitis (biliary tree infection)
- Can progress to choledocholithiasis (gallstones in the bile duct) and gallstone pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Gastric calculi can cause colic, obstruction, torsion, and necrosis.
Read more about this topic: Calculus (medicine)
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