Kidney Stones

Overview

Mayo Clinic physicians are leaders in the treatment and prevention of kidney stones. Mayo has one of the largest programs for kidney stone treatment and removal in the United States.

Mayo Clinic has the expertise and technology to effectively diagnose and treat all types of kidney stones. Mayo physicians can also individually tailor programs for preventing future kidney stones through metabolic evaluation and treatment. Patients with particularly large kidney stones benefit from innovative treatments developed by Mayo researchers and urologists for severe kidney stone conditions.

Mayo's experienced physicians offer technologically advanced procedures to treat kidney stones, including minimally invasive techniques performed using small incisions or natural openings. Beginning in the 1980s, Mayo Clinic surgeons performed some of the first minimally invasive kidney stone removals in the United States. Mayo's physicians and surgeons are committed to developing progressive kidney stone treatments and prevention plans, and refining new treatment techniques that reduce pain by using smaller instruments developed by Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Clinic urologists and urologic surgeons work closely with colleagues in nephrology and radiology to ensure patients undergoing treatment for kidney stones receive the most comprehensive care possible.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota

About kidney stones

Kidney stones are small, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts on the inner surfaces of the kidneys. The exact cause of kidney stones is not known, but certain factors can put people at higher risk for developing kidney stones. Normally, the substances that make up kidney stones are diluted in urine. One risk factor for development of stones occurs when urine is concentrated, allowing certain minerals to crystallize, stick together and solidify.

Most kidney stones are small enough to pass through the urinary tract on their own and treatment is not required. Large stones, stones that become lodged in the urinary tract, those that cause complications such as pain or bleeding, or those associated with infection may need to be surgically removed. Read more about kidney stones.