Actual medical management of stone diseases in pediatric population

ABSTRACT

Although the prevalence of urolithiasis is nearly 2 - 3% in childhood, the risk of recurrence may range between 6.5 - 54%. There has been an increase in stone disease in the pediatric age groups. The stone disease in children has multifactorial etiology. After the diagnosis, detailed metabolic evaluation is required. High recurrence rates, therapeutic irregularities and deficiency in diagnosis may lead to co-morbidities such as loss of kidney. After the exact diagnosis, surgical options such as stone extraction and correction of the anatomical anomalies come into question. Besides these, medical and supportive treatments are needed for preventing recurrence, urinary infection and, preserving renal function. Supportive care includes increased fluid intake and dietary modifications. Medical treatment depends on the cause of urinary stone disease. Morbidities of pediatric urolithiasis can be prevented by early diagnosis, detailed metabolic analysis, regular follow- up and medical treatment protocols