What are bladder stones?
Bladder stones are when minerals in your urine become crystallized and form stones, usually as a result of an inability to empty the bladder. These stones may also originate in the kidney but then get stuck in the bladder where they grow larger. Conditions that put you at an increased risk for the formation of bladder stones are BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), neurogenic bladder, and any other condition that causes incomplete emptying of the bladder. Symptoms associated with bladder stones are blood in your urine, frequent urination, urinary urgency, and/or lower abdominal pain.
Evaluation
If you present with these symptoms the urologist may perform some of the following tests to evaluate your condition. These tests include a bladder scan/ultrasound to evaluate how well you empty your bladder, a cystoscopy to evaluate the calculi and rule out anatomic obstruction, and further imaging with a CT scan to evaluate for any additional stones. Based on these tests the urologist will be able to best determine a treatment plan.
Treatment
Treatment involves removal of calculi, either through cystoscopic treatment or the open removal of the bladder stones. Your urologist will discuss the cause of the calculi and review necessary preventative treatments.