Hyperoxaluria and Oxalosis

Treatment

Mayo Clinic designs an individualized treatment plan for your needs, the type and severity of your hyperoxaluria and how well you respond to treatment.

Reducing oxalate

To reduce the amount of oxalate in your urine, your Mayo Clinic medical team may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

• Medications. Prescription-level doses of vitamin B-6, phosphates and citrate can be effective in reducing oxalate in the urine. Other medications, such as thiazide diuretics, also may be considered depending on which other abnormalities are present in your urine.
• High fluid intake. If your kidneys are still functioning normally, your doctor will likely tell you to drink more water or other fluids. This flushes the kidneys, prevents oxalate buildup and helps keep kidney stones from forming.
• Dietary modifications. Following a diet low in oxalate and fat may help to lower urinary oxalate in people with some types of hyperoxaluria. Dietary restrictions are not as important for people with primary hyperoxaluria.

Kidney stone management

Kidney stones are common in people with hyperoxaluria, but they don't always need to be treated. If large kidney stones are causing pain or are obstructing urine flow, you may need to have them removed or broken up. Mayo Clinic is experienced in kidney stone treatment and removal, and offers several minimally invasive procedures.

Kidney stones that form in children and teenagers are likely to be caused by an underlying condition, such as hyperoxaluria. For this reason, all young people with kidney stones should have a thorough evaluation, including measurement of oxalate in the urine.

Kidney and liver transplant

Depending on the severity of your hyperoxaluria and when it was diagnosed, you may eventually lose kidney function. Kidney dialysis may help, but it doesn't cure hyperoxaluria, and you'll continue to build up oxalate in other body tissues. A kidney transplant or kidney-liver transplant can cure certain types of hyperoxaluria. Mayo Clinic has special expertise in treating hyperoxaluria with transplants.