How are cystine stones treated?

How are cystine stones treated?

A major part of treating cystine stones is preventing stones from forming in the first place. Dietary changes such as drinking plenty of liquids, limiting the amount of sodium in your diet and cutting back on alcohol can all help prevent cystine stones from forming. Your doctor may also give you a medication to alkalize your urine. This may help prevent cystine from forming together into a stone.

Because cystinuria is an inherited condition, multiple stones can form throughout your life.

If a stone does form, treatment options can include:

• Surgical removal of the stone. Large stones can cause damage if they cannot pass out of the body through the urinary tract. These stones can be very painful and may prevent the flow of urine out of the body. There are several options your healthcare provider may use to remove a stone, including:
  • Inserting a small, flexible camera up the urethra (where urine leaves the body), locating the stone and removing it.
  • Using shockwave lithotripsy to crush the stone with high-frequency sound waves. Once broken into smaller pieces, the stone can pass out of the body with urine.
  • Making a small incision in the back and inserting a tube into the kidney to remove the stone