What is the relationship between ostomies and kidney stones?
An ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening in the body to divert the flow of urine or feces. The most common types are ileostomy, colostomy, and urostomy. These operations are necessary in cases such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or urinary tract problems.
After an ostomy, the body can undergo several changes that affect kidney health:
Fluid loss. People with an ostomy, especially an ileostomy, tend to lose more fluids and mineral salts than normal. This often leads to dehydration, causing urine to become concentrated and promoting stone formation.
Changes in urine pH. In some cases, such as with urostomies, urine pH becomes more acidic or alkaline, depending on the type of urinary diversion. These changes can cause certain substances to accumulate and form crystals, leading to kidney stones. 3
Increased oxalate absorption. Normally, part of the oxalate is eliminated through feces without being absorbed by the body. But in the case of ostomies, the body loses some of this filtering capacity. As a result, oxalate passes into the blood and then to the kidneys, where it can mix with calcium and form stones.
These types of stones, called calcium oxalate stones, are the most common and can be painful if not detected in time. 1
Frequent infections. Urinary tract infections are more frequent in people with urinary ostomies. These infections can alter the composition of urine and increase the risk of forming infectious-type stones (such as struvite stones). 2
How can Lit-Control® by Devicare help?
To prevent this problem, it is essential to maintain a proper balance in urine composition. This is where Devicare's Lit-Control® product range comes in.
Lit-Control is a line of products that includes dietary supplements and urinary pH monitoring devices. Its goal is to help prevent kidney stone formation by naturally regulating pH and reducing the concentration of substances that promote stone formation.
- Lit-Control® pH Balance, contains phytate which prevents the formation and growth of calcium kidney stones, and which acts synergistically with magnesium to inhibit the formation of calcium oxalate stones.
- Lit-Control® pH Up, contains citrate which increases urinary pH and dissolves uric acid crystals, and Theobromine which acts synergistically with citrate to prevent the formation of uric acid stones in low urinary pH.
- Lit-Control® pH Down, contains L-methionine which decreases urinary pH and prevents the formation of infectious crystals, such as struvite. Phytate acts synergistically with L-methionine to prevent the formation of phosphate stones in high urinary pH.
In addition, Devicare also offers the device Lit-Control® pH Meter 2.0, which allows users to measure urine pH at home, facilitating daily monitoring and active prevention.
Conclusion
Living with an ostomy involves adapting to a new reality, but that doesn't mean giving up a good quality of life. Understanding the risks, such as kidney stone formation, and having effective tools like Lit-Control® can make a big difference in the health and well-being of ostomy patients.
References:
*1 National Kidney Foundation. (n.d.). Calcium oxalate stones. https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/calcium-oxalate-stones
*2 Okhunov, Z., Duty, B., Smith, A. D., & Okeke, Z. (2011). Management of urolithiasis in patients after urinary diversions. BJU International, 108(3), 330–336. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10194.x
*3 Scoffone, C. M., & Cracco, C. M. (2017). Case discussion: Kidney stone in a patient with an ileal conduit. European Urology Focus, 3(2-3), 261–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euf.2017.02.010
