Stone disease: Infection stones / struvite

The gray, mortar-like stones are often adapted to the renal pelvis
About 5 to 10 percent of kidney stones are made of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite), calcium phosphate and other rare compositions. They are called struvite or infection stones. They have a gray color and are often adapted ausgussförmig the renal pelvis. In the consistency they are like the mortar.


By bacterial infections, the pH of the urine shifted to alkaline
Infection stones caused by displacement of the urinary pH value. These changes are favored by ureasebildenden urinary tract infections with bacteria, such as the bacterium Proteus. Urease is an enzyme that breaks down urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide. By ureasebildenden bacteria is therefore split out from the urea contained in urine ammonia. The higher ammonia concentration shifts the pH of the urine with the values ​​above 7 alkaline (basic), which can lead to formation of infection stones.


Women are more affected than men
Particularly affected by this type of stone, people with urinary obstruction and frequent urinary tract infections. This is the reason why women are more frequently affected by urinary tract infections, form 3 to 5 times more common infection stones than men. Overall, however, decreases the incidence of this type of stone. Probably the reason why in an earlier diagnosis and more successful treatment of urinary tract infections.