title: Childhood urolithiasis: experiences and advances.
abstract: Between June 1979 and June 1989, 54 children with urolithiasis were evaluated and treated at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. The most common symptoms were flank or abdominal pain (58%) and gross hematuria (28%). In 46 children (86%), stones were secondary to a preexisting condition and in only 8 (14%) no apparent cause of stone formation could be found. Thirty-six patients (66%) had a solitary stone, most commonly found in the kidney. Urinary tract infections were present in 25 (47%) of the patients who had stones. Stones composed either of calcium oxalate or struvite were the most frequently recovered in these patients with infections. Twenty-one patients (39%) spontaneously passed their stones whereas 23 (43%) required either surgery or extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy to resolve stones. Ten (20%) showed recurrence of their urolithiasis, with follow-up examination periods ranging from 1 month to 10 years. Recent advances in the management of urolithiasis and their applicability to the pediatric population are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Children's Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gearhart
authors.forename: G Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Herzberg
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Jeffs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications