[Change in concepts of urolithiasis: recent advances in pathogenesis, assessment, treatment and prophylaxis]

A nationwide survey of urolithiasis in Japan conducted in 2005 disclosed its steady increase in incidence and the life-long risk was estimated to be 15% in men and 6% in women. The recurrence rate has also increased, to 70 -80% in the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) era from around 50% previously. Although urolithiasis is very common and highly recurrent, the impact and concern of stone disease are not necessarily as high as expected either medically or socially, because of its benign nature and easy accessibility to treatments by ESWL and/or endourological procedures. Dramatic progress is taking place both experimentally and clinically in this field, such as development of a simple method of measuring metastable limits using a microplate, clarifying altered oxalate metabolism due to insulin resistance and close relationship between stone disease and metabolic syndrome, elucidating the exact role of osteopontin in an experimental model at a molecular level, prophylaxis of stone disease by angiotensin II type I receptor blocker, and addition of a new modality of fiberscopic transurethral lithotripsy (f-TUL) to the conventional endourological treatments. We hope that "change and future perspective" in the field of urolithiasis will be discussed and clarified in this symposium.