Volume 11, Issue 9: Renal Colic

Renal Colic – Screaming stones

You are working with another experienced paramedic on a thoroughly enjoyable shift when a job comes through for a 72-year-old male with abdominal pain. He has had kidney stones in the past and your initial assessment points toward a typical case of renal colic but something doesn’t seem right…

CPD benefit

Renal calculi are common in the UK with an incidence of 9% of the population experiencing a stone at some point in their lifetime. This article describes the anatomy and physiology of renal calculi (kidney stones) and the signs and symptoms that you might expect in a characteristic presentation of the condition including risk factors that can predispose some people to develop kidney stones. It then goes on to discuss the importance of considering the differential diagnoses during your assessment as well as red flags and potential complications to ensure that your patient is appropriately managed and referred or conveyed.

Assessment Answers

To check your answers to the quiz please see the back page of the issue.