Nephrolithiasis
Written Assignment Unit 7
University of the People
Dr. Whitney Obendorf
HS-2211-01 Human Anatomy and Physiology
May 25, 2022
Introduction
Nephrolithiasis
The urinary system includes the kidney, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Generally, blood in
the body is filtered into the kidney by nephrons and glomerulus. Nephrons and glomerulus are
functional units of the kidney. Nephrons in the kidney filter blood and make a balance with the
constituents of circulation. The glomerulus is the tuft form of capillaries, which are
microstructures in the kidney, that supports nephrons in the blood filtration process (OpenStax,
2018). Once the blood is filtered, urine is formed and it is transported to the bladder for
micturition (Urination) by ureters. This process is mediated by different factors and that is when
a kidney disease occurs. One of the prominent kidney diseases is kidney stones or
Nephrolithiasis.
Nephrolithiasis
The clinical term for kidney stones is Nephrolithiasis. It is also called renal calculi or
urolithiasis. Nephrolithiasis is a by-product of deposited minerals and salts that are formed
inside the kidneys ("Kidney Stones", 2020). This is because nephrolithiasis is the result of a bad
diet, improper supplement consumption, and medication. When blood is collected in the kidney,
it goes through three phases by nephrons: filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. As a result,
beneficiary nutrients are collected and toxic substances expel from the body by the urethra.
When mineral and salt deposits accumulate in the kidney, it concentrates. When it concentrates.
it gives the minerals and salts the ability to stick together ("Kidney Stones", 2020). As a result,
the stones commence disrupting the urine production-removal process. This is because if the
stone is small, the stone travels across the kidney without causing any conditions. If the stones
travel to the ureters (Tubes that connect urine transportation from the kidney to the bladder), the
stones pass to the bladder and when it reaches the bladder, it goes out with urine. However, if it
lodges in the ureters, it stops urine flow from the kidney to the bladder, which in turn, it causes
Nephrolithiasis
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pain in the urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, and bladder). This is called ureters stone because the
stone is in the ureters. It is a result of an unequal amount of minerals and salts in the kidney
("What are kidney stones", n.d.).
Types of Kidney Stones
There are many types of kidney stones depending on the number of minerals, salts, acids.
and amino acids that make them up, overall.
Calcium stones
Calcium is one of the most common types of kidney stones. Calcium stones are largely
made of calcium deposition. It is divided into two types: Calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate
The two types of calcium stones are caused by the excessive amount of calcium in the kidneys,
almost around 80% of the stones contain calcium ("What are kidney stones", n.d.). Calcium
oxalate is brownish, whereas calcium phosphate is off-white.
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Calcium oxalate image adapted from https://www.stonedisease.org/kidney-stone-photos/