Recognizing that kidney stone disease now affects more than 1 in every 12 Americans and 5-year recurrence rates are as high as 50%, the Division of Urology would like to introduce the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Multidisciplinary Kidney Stone Clinic.

In an effort to further improve kidney stone treatment, prevention and research outcomes particularly for high risk individuals, patients are evaluated in the same clinic session from the initial diagnosis to the completion of a treatment plan by dedicated clinicians from the Division of Urology, Department of Nephrology and Nutrition Services.  Using targeted dietary and medication recommendations, patients are then followed based on a personalized comprehensive prevention strategy to minimize stone recurrence.  Patients requiring intervention may choose from the full armament of surgical options, as appropriate, including shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopic stone extraction with stent placement, percutaneous nephrolithotomy with concurrent access to the kidney of robotic pyelolithotomy.  Counseling is provided to optimize stone prevention in the context of the patient's medical renal health, associated co-morbidities, other medication use and dietary preferences.

Risk factors in patients that may particularly benefit from a multidisciplinary approach include:

Recurrent stone formers
Strong family history
Cystine/Uric acid stone composition
Urologic anatomic abnormality
Pediatric patient
Morbid obesity
Renal insufficiency
Solitary (functioning) kidney
History of chronic diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, bowel resection, or gastric bypass surgery
Skeletal/bone disease
Autoimmune disease (such as Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis)

If available, patients evaluated in the Multidisciplinary Kidney Stone Clinic are asked to bring all results of prior stone analyses, 24-hour urine testing and recent radiographic studies for review.  Additional testing may be requested prior to the initial appointment.  Interested patients may also participate in on-going research studies evaluating kidney stone development, prevention and symptom relief.

"The goal of the Multidisciplinary Kidney Stone Clinic remains clear:  Prevention of kidney stone recurrence is as important as treatment of any individual stone.  By better addressing the factors related to stone formation, the outcomes of patients affected by this chronic disease can be improved."