Biochemical Assessment of Uroliths Extracted in Patients with Urolithiasis in a Tertiary Health Institution

Background: Urolithiasis is found across the world, knowing the chemical composition of uroliths can help in patient management and prevention of recurrence. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the biochemical compositions of extracted stones. Methods: The study is a two-year retrospective cross-sectional study which analysed forty-two stones received from the surgical department following removal. The stones were crushed, and the powdered form was subjected to flame test and subsequent chemical analysis using the McIntosh and Salter method. Patients’ records were reviewed for biodata and other medical details. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: The predominant anatomical location of stones among subjects was Ureter (42.9%, n=18), 28.6% of stones were located in the Kidney, 14.3% in the Bladder, and 7.1% were located in the renal pelvis and urethra. Subjects below 18 years have the highest occurrence of stones across different anatomical locations. There is a significant association between Age group and anatomical location, p-value = 0.005. Also, males have the highest occurrence of stones across different anatomical locations except in the pelvic region. There was a significant association between sex and anatomical location, p-value = 0.013. Conclusion: Calcium oxalate stones are the most common stone type. However, age and sex have a marked influence on the type of stone formed.