Stone formation: PGIMER experts debunk myths

Dr SK Sharma, ex-president of USI, ex-director PGIMER and ex-HOD, urology, PGIMER, clarified that consuming tomatoes and spinach did not lead to stone formation, and drinking beer did not help in getting rid of stones

The health experts at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) debunked various myths related to the formation of stones in human body at the first annual conference of the Urolithiasis Section of Urological Society of India (USI) organised by the department of urology, PGIMER.

To protect against kidney stone it is important to maintain sufficient hydration to keep appropriate pressure in the urinary bladder, the experts at PGIMER said. (HT File Photo)

The experts said various misconceptions exists regarding the formation of stones in human body. It is commonly believed that the consumption of certain foods, such as tomatoes and spinach, can lead to stone formation. Additionally, some individuals think that excessive consumption of beer can help remove kidney stones.

Dr SK Sharma, ex-president of USI, ex-director PGIMER and ex-HOD, urology, PGIMER, discarding both the myths, clarified that consuming tomatoes and spinach did not lead to stone formation, and drinking beer also did not help in getting rid of stones.

However, for protection against kidney stones, it is important to maintain sufficient hydration to keep appropriate pressure in the urinary bladder.

Urology department head Uttam Mete said renal stone disease was prevalent in north India and it can occur in either the ureter or kidneys. If the stone is in the ureter, immediate attention is necessary to prevent kidney damage. Calcium oxalate stones are the most common ones and they are naturally found in many foods. Hot climate condition is also one of the reasons behind stone formation.

Kidney stones treatment options depend on factors, such as size, composition and location. For smaller stones, extracorporeal lithotripsy can be used, which is a non-surgical procedure that breaks up the stone using a machine. However, the success rate of this method was limited, added Mete.

Further giving details, Mete said surgical treatment was required for larger stones and one minimally invasive technique was percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). This procedure involves creating a small hole in the kidney and using an endoscope to visualise the stone. The stone is then fragmented using different energy sources, such as ultrasonic, mechanical or laser energy, and removed by various means.

There has been a lot of improvement and innovations in technique, and technology to treat renal stones. Different types of lasers have helped surgeons to remove stones by small incision said Dr SK Pal, the chairman of the urolithiasis section of USI.

Dr Sanjay Kulkarni, current president of USI, said Indian surgeons were dominating the world in renal stone treatment.

Dr SK Sharma emphasised the importance of lifestyle changes and targeted medication to prevent stone formation, especially in cases of metabolic abnormalities.

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