Estimation of Chemical Composition of Renal Stones: An Observational Study from a Tertiary Care Centre of North East India

Abstract

Introduction: Qualitative analysis of renal stone provides valuable information on both their aetiology and origin which, can help in the treatment and prevention of recurrence of nephrolithiasis. Aim: To determine the composition of renal stones on patients reporting to tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: A total of 140 renal stones were studied over a period of 18 months. Renal stones were collected by surgical intervention in the Urology Department and analysed chemically as per standard methods for inorganic, carbonate, oxalate, phosphate, ammonia, calcium, organic, magnesium and uric acid. Results: Chemical analysis of 140 stones, removed from patients, showed that ammonia was most frequent salt (100% for males and 97.83% for females) found in the age group of 18-40 years. This was followed by magnesium (97.83%), oxalate for males (97.83%) and calcium for female (97.83%). On microbiological analysis, Proteus spp. was found to be most common organism in 18-40 years age group in both sexes and Pseudomonas aeroginosa in the young age. Conclusion: The study showed that ammonia was present in the highest amount in the renal stones in both sexes followed by magnesium, indicating that these were struvite stones.

Keywords

• ammonia
• proteus spp.
• struvite