Not unlike kidney stones, bladder stones are crystallized concentrations of the minerals found in urine that can cause abdominal pain, blood in the urine and other difficulties associated with urination. While smaller bladder stones may be able to pass through the urinary tract without medical treatment, larger stones may require surgical removal to avoid an infection or other serious complication. Bladder stones are most commonly diagnosed in patients whose bladder cannot empty completely due to nerve damage or possibly an enlarged prostate gland. Additionally, sometimes a kidney stone can actually become a bladder stone when it travels through the ureter to that location. Other potential causes of bladder stones include bladder inflammation, radiation therapy and the use of a bladder catheter. One method of removing bladder stones is via cystolitholapaxy, which is a procedure in which laser or ultrasound technology is employed to break up larger stones and push them out of the bladder. When necessary, bladder stones can also be removed via traditional abdominal surgery.
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