[Recent advances in the treatment of nephrolithiasis (author's transl)]

The treatment of nephrolithiasis depends mainly on the type of stone present. Uric acid calculi can be dissolved by oral medication producing alkalinization of the urine. Cystin stones can only rarely be dissolved by oral administration of D-penicillamine. The best and least expensive prophylaxis is a high and constant fluid intake of 600 ml every 4 hours. This way the pathologically increased cystin excretion can be kept soluble. Calcium containing calculi and so-called "infection stones" need surgical intervention. Because of the high recurrence rate of renal stones every indication for an operative procedure has to be considered very carefully. For lasting results elimination of urinary obstruction is necessary. The treatment of choice of patients with staghorn calculus disease is surgical, even in the solitary kidney and in geriatric patients. As recent advances in the operative treatment of nephrolithiasis coagulum pyelolithotomy, intraoperative pyeloscopy, hypothermia and "bench surgery" (extra-corporeal renal surgery) are reviewed. Attempts to dissolve renal calculi by percutaneous nephrostomy as well as extraction of pelvic stones by the same procedure are mentioned. Finally, the importance of postoperative prophylaxis and the progress made in the medical treatment of calcium stones are pointed out.