Guidelines on urolithiasis

Objectives:A project was initiated by the Health Care Office of the Europea n Association of Urology in order to formulate common recommendations and g uidelines for the treatment of patients with urolithiasis. The basic task f or the working group therefore was to extract and evaluate evidence from th e literature in order to reach a consensus on how these patients could best be managed. Methods: Extensive reviews of the literature together with a thorough and d etailed discussion of the various topics, by a working group including of e xperts from several European countries, provided the basis for a consensus overview of urolithiasis and its management. Results and Conclusions: Recommendations are given for the management of pa tients with acute stone colic and for active removal of stones from the ure ter and kidney. Moreover, the principles for risk evaluation of patients wi th recurrent stone formation and appropriate recurrence preventive treatmen t are given. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.