Calcolosi urinaria nel lattante: esperienza personale

In newborns, especially premature, and in babies, nephrocalcinosis is more common than urolithiasis, which is rare. From April 1997 to December 1999, 5 cases of urinary stones (calyceal or pyelic) were observed in babies aged between 5 and 12 months (4M and 1W). Two of these infants were premature (highly premature) and in one case there was a family history of calculosis. Three infants were examined for recurrent UTI, one had a 3rd grade RVU homolateral to the stone. No metabolic alterations were noted. The size of the stones ranged from 4 to 12 mm. In one 6-month baby the pyelic staghorn stone was complicated by 2nd - 3rd grade hydronephrosis and an operation was therefore planned but not performed due to spontaneous fragmentation of the stone. The calyceal stone remained stationary in 2 infants at a follow-up of 18 and 20 months. The small number of cases of urolithiasis in babies published in literature does not allow clear guidelines to be drawn. In our limited experience we consider it advisable in the case of non-complicated stones to wait and observe before proceeding with more or less invasive treatment.