On 26 Nov, 2022, Seniors Today hosted their weekly Health Live webinar with leading Urologist, Dr Prashant K Pattnaik who spoke on Kidney Stones & Kidney Concerns of Seniors.
Dr Prashant K Pattnaik is a leading Urologist with the Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai
After his MBBS, MS (Surgery) and MCh(Urology) from Mumbai University, he successfully managed the first Lithotripsy centre in India. He has a record number of treating more than 50,000 cases of stone and allied diseases across the country and overseas through Lithotripsy and Endourological procedures.
He was among the first to treat stone patients with pacemakers. A recipient of several awards, he is a member of the Society International Urology, American Urological Association, International Endourological Society, European Association of Urology and the Indian Urological Association.
Kidney stones are not just stones that are in the kidney but also the back of the kidney up to the bladder. This is called urolithiasis.
Urolithiasis is a Greek term which is a condition where urinary stones are formed or located anywhere in the urinary system which can be the kidney, ureter or the urinary bladder.
One out of every 1000 Indians suffer from urolithiasis.
There are definitive means and measures to treat kidney stone disease in the early stages.
It is more common in Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan to name a few.
The incidence of the disease is now increasing in the urban areas as compared to the rural areas. One reason can be, the lifestyle and food habits in the urban cities which include rich in protein diets, which can be a reason for the increase in incidence.
Recurrence rate is almost 10% per year
The incidence is higher in males than females
Strong familial history of urolithiasis tends to be passed down the line
Factors for stone formations:
- Internal factors
- External factors
Depending on the location of the stone, it can be called
- Kidney stone- in the kidney
- Ureteric stone – in the ureter
- Bladder stone- in the urinary bladder
- Urethral stone- in the urethra
Types of stone
– Calcium stones: these form 70-75% of the stones in the senior citizens. They can later become acidic or alkaline stones
– Struvite/ infection stones
– Uric acid stones: individuals who consume large amounts of sea foods are at a risk of developing uric acid stones. People living in coastal areas are prone to developing these stones
- Cystine stones
The formation of stones is a complex process. Once there is an infection or a crystal formation, as the concentration increases, the crystals surface out. These crystals cause a change in the urinary pH, or restrict the flow of the urine either due to obstruction or enlarged prostate. They tend to stay lodged in the urinary tract and form stones.
This is a vicious cycle. There can either be stone which can cause infection or an infection lead to the formation of a stone.
So while treating a patient with urolithiasis, you do not have to treat the stone but also prevent infection/ treat any pre-existing infection whilst simultaneously also treating for any obstruction in the urine.
Causes for stones:
– Low water intake
– Low pH levels of the urine
– Status of the urine due to an obstruction
- infection due to any bacterial / other causes
- Obese individuals run at higher risk for developing stones
- Individuals who consume large amounts of animal proteins
- Individuals consuming diet high in salt content
If you develop a stone in your urinary system after the age of 40, these stones tend to be harder and can even damage the kidney. This can also lead to hypertension, diabetes.
You should consume Vitamin D3 and Vitamin C and avoid a sedentary lifestyle
Your fluid intake should be more than 1.5 liters/ day
