Pharmacologic treatment of kidney stones: Current medication and pH monitoring.

Nephrolithiasis is a globally prevalent urologic condition associated with significant morbidity and patient discomfort. Current management of kidney stones includes both surgical and pharmacologic interventions. Though surgery may be necessary under certain circumstances, pharmacologic treatment is a more affordable, readily available, and a less invasive option for patients. A comprehensive scoping review was conducted to summarize the available literature on the pharmacologic strategies for managing the predominant stone types including calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine stones. Central to these therapeutic approaches is the regulation of factors such as urine pH, stone crystallization, and patient metabolics that precipitate stone development and growth. This review highlights the pharmacological options available for treating each kidney stone type, emphasizing the importance of patient tailored medical management that should be considered by every physician.

Predictors of success in shock wave lithotripsy of renal and ureteral stones.

In many centers, shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a commonly used modality for the treatment of both renal and ureteral calculi. It is non-invasive, may be performed using minimal anesthesia, and has a high level of patient acceptance. The focus of the present review is to highlight patient and stone characteristics which affect the outcomes of SWL, in order to define which patients are proper candidates for this treatment.