What are the major stone types, what are the causes, and how are they medically treated?
There are five major stone types: calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate), uric acid, and cystine. Each type of stone has a distinct crystal shape, as depicted in Figure 5. Calcium oxalate crystals are square shape with a characteristic “X” mark, struvite stones have a “coffin lid” appearance, uric acid crystals are often needle shaped and can form into rosettes, and cystine crystals are hexagonal in shape. Calcium-based stones (calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate) are the most common, comprising about 85% of stones, and calcium oxalate stones are the most prevalent. 1) Calcium Stones: There are several metabolic abnormalities that lead to the development of calcium stones. The most common of these is hypercalciuria or elevated calcium levels in the urine. Hypercalciuria can be classified into three different types which are absorptive, resorptive, and renal. In absorptive hypercalciuria, there is an excess of calcium absorbed from the digestive sy
