A buildup of minerals is the main cause of the development of urinary bladder stones. When there is urine left in the urinary bladder, it becomes concentrated and crystals are formed from the minerals within the urine. The urinary bladder stones vary in size. The small stones pass out normally from the body whereas the bigger stones stuck to the wall of the ureter or urinary bladder.
Risk factors
There can be an increased risk of urinary bladder stones due to the following risk factors.
-
Age and gender:
When men reach old age, they have more risk of having urinary bladder stones in comparison to women.
-
Paralysis:
There is the risk of developing urinary bladder stones in people with serious spinal injuries and loss of muscle control in the pelvic region. This is because it becomes difficult for them to empty the urinary bladder completely.
-
Bladder outlet obstruction:
The urine flow gets blocked from the urinary bladder to the outside world in this condition. Enlarged prostate and some other conditions cause the blockage of the urinary bladder.
-
Urinary bladder augmentation surgery:
When women undergo this surgical procedure, it can lead to the development of urinary bladder stones.
Diagnosis
The urology doctors in Kolkata may suggest the following tests for the diagnosis of urinary bladder stones:
-
Urinalysis:
There is the examination of a urine sample for signs of blood, bacteria, and crystallized minerals.
-
Spiral computerized tomography (CT) scan:
There is a combination of multiple X-ray images in CT scans. This helps to build up a detailed image of internal organs.
-
Ultrasound:
There is the creation of an image by making the sound bounce off of internal organs.
-
Intravenous pyelogram:
There is the insertion of a special fluid is injected into the veins with the help of an injection. After that, the fluid travels through to the kidneys and bladder. Throughout the whole procedure, X-rays are taken to look for signs of kidney stones.
Treatment
You can increase your intake of water to make the urinary bladder stones pass out of your body naturally if the stones are detected at an early stage while they are small in size. When the urinary stones are large, the urologist in Kolkata breaks down them while viewing them with the help of a camera attached to a thin tube. The doctor inserts the tube into the urethra. This process is done with the help of a laser or ultrasound after you are administered general anaesthesia. After breaking down, the doctors wash away the stones from the body. If this procedure is not effective to remove the stones, the doctor decides to go for surgery. He/she will insert the surgical instruments through a cut in the abdomen and removes the stones from the urinary bladder.