Kamica

Kamica is a medical term used in Polish to describe the formation of calculi, or stones, within the body's hollow structures or organs. The most common forms are kamica żółciowa (gallstone disease) and kamica nerkowa (kidney stone disease). Stones arise when there is an imbalance between promoters and inhibitors of crystallization, or when flow of bile or urine is impeded.

In gallbladder disease, cholesterol stones are most common, with pigment stones arising in hemolysis or infection and mixed types sometimes present. In the urinary tract, the most frequent stones are calcium oxalate, followed by uric acid, struvite, and cystine stones. Risk factors include age, sex, obesity, diabetes, certain diets, dehydration, metabolic disorders, and genetic predisposition.

Symptoms vary. Gallstone disease is often asymptomatic; when painful, it presents as biliary colic—transient right upper abdominal pain, sometimes after fatty meals—associated with nausea. Complications include cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and cholangitis. Kidney stones cause sudden, intense flank or groin pain, hematuria, and sometimes nausea or vomiting; obstruction may lead to infection or hydronephrosis.

Diagnosis relies on imaging and laboratory tests. Ultrasound is the primary tool for gallstones and kidney stones; CT may be used in more complex cases. Blood tests can assess liver function in biliary disease; urinalysis and stone analysis help characterize urinary stones.

Treatment depends on symptoms and complications. Asymptomatic gallstones often require no treatment; symptomatic stones may require cholecystectomy or endoscopic stone removal. Kidney stones are managed with analgesia, hydration, and, depending on size and location, procedures such as extracorporeal lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, or percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Prevention focuses on hydration, balanced diet, limiting salt and oxalate, weight control, and management of underlying conditions to reduce recurrence.