Evaluation of the recurrent stone former.

For frequent stone formers, and even for some first-time stone formers interested in preventing future episodes of renal colic, a metabolic evaluation is necessary. The urologist, rather than members of other medical specialties, seems to have the primary responsibility of the medical management of stone disease. Thus, it is essential for the urologist to have a good working knowledge of the principles of metabolic evaluation and kidney stone prevention.

Does a slower treatment rate impact the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for solitary kidney or ureteral stones?

Purpose: We compared the efficacy of an SR (70 to 80 shocks per minute) and an FR (120 shocks per minute) for ESWL for solitary stones less than 2 cm located in the kidney or proximal ureter.

Materials And Methods: A total of 349 patients with a solitary, radiopaque kidney or ureteral stone underwent ESWL on a DoLi(R) 50 lithotriptor. Patients were grouped based on stone size, stone location and whether SR or FR treatment was performed.

Oxalate toxicity in cultured mouse inner medullary collecting duct cells.

Purpose: Oxalate, a metabolic end product and a major constituent of the majority of renal stones, has been shown to be toxic to renal epithelial cells of cortical origin. However, to our knowledge it is unknown whether inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells, which are physiologically exposed to higher concentrations of oxalate, also behave in a similar manner.

Materials And Methods: A line of IMCD cells was exposed to oxalate (0.