Urinary stone disease is very common, with an estimated
prevalence among the general population of 2% to 3%
and an estimated lifetime risk of 1 in 8 for white males
[1] and 5% to 6% for white females [2], with men forming
stones three times as often as women. Urinary stones
often recur and the lifetime recurrence rate is approximately
50% [3]. The interval between recurrences is
variable, with approximately 10% within 1 year, 35% within
5 years and 50% within 10 years [2]. The increased incidence
of urinary stones in the industrialized world is
associated with improved standards of living (mainly
owing to the high dietary intake of proteins and minerals)
and there is also an association with ethnicity and region
of residence [4]. All urinary tract stones, and ureteric
stones in particular, have a significant impact on patients’
quality of life. They are a common cause of emergency
hospital admission due to severe pain with over 15,000
hospital admissions in England annually [5] using over
21,500 bed days. The pain leads to a requirement for analgesia,
time off work and, often, repeated hospital admissions
for therapeutic interventions.