Kidney stones (ureterolithiasis) result from stones or renal calculi (from Latin ren, renes, "kidney" and calculi,

"pebbles")[1] in the ureter. The stones are solid concretions or calculi (crystal aggregations) formed in the kidneys from dissolved urinary minerals. Nephrolithiasis (from Greek ?ef??? (nephros, "kidney") and ???o? (lithos, "stone")) refers to the condition of having kidney stones. Urolithiasis refers to the condition of having calculi in the urinary tract (which also includes the kidneys), which may form or pass into the urinary bladder. Ureterolithiasis is the condition of having a calculus in the ureter, the tube connecting the kidneys and the bladder. The term bladder stones usually applies to urolithiasis of the bladder in non-human animals such as dogs and cats. Kidney stones typically leave the body by passage in the urine stream, and many stones are formed and passed without causing symptoms. If stones grow to sufficient size before passage on the order of at least 2-3 millimeters they can cause obstruction of the ureter. The resulting obstruction causes dilation or stretching of the upper ureter and renal pelvis (the part of the kidney where the urine collects before entering the ureter) as well as muscle spasm of the ureter, trying to move the stone. This leads to pain, most commonly felt in the flank, lower abdomen and groin (a condition called renal colic). Renal colic can be associated with nausea and vomiting. There can be blood in the urine, visible with the naked eye or under the microscope (macroscopic or microscopic hematuria) due to damage to the lining of the urinary tract

The Urinary System

The function of the urinary system is to remove waste products from the blood and eliminate them from the body. The principal waste products being eliminated are water, carbon dioxide and nitrogenous wastes including area, uric acid and creatinine. Other functions of the urinary system include the regulation of the volume of body fluids, the balance of pH and the electrolyte composition of these fluids. Kidneys The kidneys are located in the back of the upper abdomen and are protected by the lower ribs and rib cartilage of the back. The kidneys are involved with a number of bodily functions which include:

The filtering and excretion of unwanted waste products such as urea from the body. The maintenance of water balance. the regulation of the acidbase balance of body fluids. the production of renin, which is important in the regulation of blood pressure. The production of the hormone erythropoieten, which stimulates the production of red blood cells.

Ureters The ureters are two slender tubes that run from the sides of the kidneys to the bladder. Their function is to transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

Bladder The bladder is a muscular organ and serves as a reservoir for urine. Located just behind the pubic bone, it can extend well up into the abdominal cavity when full. Near the outlet of the bladder is a small muscle called the internal sphincter, which contract involuntarily to prevent the emptying of the bladder. Urethra The urethra is a tube that extends from the bladder to the outside world. It is through this tube that urine is eliminated from the body.