Word parts
What it means
Kidney stones: hard lumps made of crystals from the urine. Most are calcium oxalate; others are uric acid, struvite (after some urinary infections) or cystine. Risk is higher with low fluid intake, some diets, gout and a family history. A stone that moves into the ureter can cause severe pain that comes in waves (renal colic), blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting. Urolithiasis is the broader word for stones anywhere in the urinary tract.
For the nurse
Give pain medicine as ordered, strain all urine and save any stone for testing, and encourage fluids unless restricted. Report fever, chills or no urine output. Teach the client to drink enough to make about 2 to 3 liters of urine a day.
Related terms
urinary tract infection
An infection anywhere in the urinary tract: the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra.
ureter
One of the two tubes that carry urine from the kidneys down to the bladder.
kidney stone
A hard, pebble-like lump of minerals that forms inside the kidney.
uric acid
A waste product made when the body breaks down purines, measured with a blood test.