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Management of renal stone disease in obese patients

Nature Clinical Practice Urology volume 4, pages 671–676 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Obesity represents an increasing burden to health care resources. Nephrolithiasis is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes and the consumption of diets rich in protein, fat and carbohydrates; this article addresses some of the pathophysiological mechanisms associated with stone formation in these patients. Management of stone disease can be more difficult in obese patients; even diagnosis can be problematic because imaging techniques are less sensitive in these patients. Treatment with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy and surgery in obese patients can be challenging, and outcome data for the different treatments are discussed in this Review.

Key Points

  • Obesity is increasingly common in Western society, and many patients are unaware of the relationship between obesity, type 2 diabetes and stone disease

  • The diagnosis and management of stone disease is more challenging in obese patients compared with those of a healthy weight

  • Obesity surgery carries a risk of subsequent metabolic abnormalities depending on the surgical technique

  • Weight loss and dietary modification should be discussed a part of long-term stone prevention

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. A Vujovic is currently completing a Fellowship in Endourology at St Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth before returning to Perth, Western Australia ,

    Aleksandra Vujovic

  2. S Keoghane is a Consultant Urological Surgeon at the South Coast Stone Centre, Portsmouth, UK.,

    Stephen Keoghane

Authors
  1. Aleksandra Vujovic
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  2. Stephen Keoghane
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen Keoghane.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Vujovic, A., Keoghane, S. Management of renal stone disease in obese patients. Nat Rev Urol 4, 671–676 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0988

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0988

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