Because of their hardness, calculi can obstruct a duct or an organ, resulting in pain and inflammation leading to infection. Calculus formation is generally due to a combination of factors. Symptoms depend upon the part of the body involved. For example, calculi in the gall bladder may either cause no symptoms or may cause vomiting, jaundice, and severe pain if they lodge in and obstruct the bile duct. The only way to determine if calculi have formed is to conduct tests, such as X rays or ultrasound examination, on parts of the body suspected to be involved.
Treatment depends upon the site of the calculi and on the severity of the symptoms.
For many cases, surgical removal of calculi is necessary. However, a recent innovation, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, offers a nonsurgical approach to the removal of kidney and gall bladder stones. Recovery with this approach takes days, instead of the weeks required following surgery.