Overview

Bladder stones are hard masses of minerals in your bladder. They develop when urine in your bladder becomes concentrated, causing minerals to crystallize.

Symptoms

  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Pain during urination
  • Frequent urination
  • Difficulty urinating or interrupted flow
  • Blood in urine

Causes

The most common cause is the inability to completely empty the bladder. This can be due to an enlarged prostate (BPH), nerve damage, or bladder diverticula.

Treatment

Cystolitholapaxy

A cystoscope is used to locate the stones, which are then broken up using laser or ultrasound energy and washed out.

Surgery

For very large stones, open surgery (cystolithotomy) may be necessary to remove them.