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Kidney Stone Center

A Personalized Approach

Care New England provides a comprehensive approach to the management of kidney stones. Whether it’s surgery, medication, or recommendations on dietary changes, the Kidney Stone Center will be able to offer you the treatment you need. Our clinic is comprised of a urologist, a nephrologist, and a registered dietician who will work as a team to personalize your care.

When you visit our clinic, you can expect to have a detailed history taken with review of your laboratory tests and imaging studies. You will meet with each provider, and all treatment options for your current stones will be discussed. We will also work with you to diagnose your risk factors to help prevent future kidney stones.

Kidney stone disease can be complex, and Care New England’s Kidney Stone Center is here to make the process easier.

Contact Information

Care New England Kidney Stone Center
2191 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886

P: (401) 736-4217

Resources

How to Prevent Kidney Stones >>

Kidney Stone FAQs >>

 

Multidisciplinary Kidney
Stone Team

Our multidisciplinary team consists of the following specialists:
  • Urologist - Our urologist will discuss your kidney stone disease, review your imaging studies, and present surgical options available to best treat your stones. When appropriate, he will also perform the necessary surgeries. 
  • Nephrologist - Our nephrologist will review your medical history, your laboratory results, and discuss medications that can reduce your risk of developing new kidney stones.
  • Registered Dietician - Our registered dietician will discuss your current diet and how it contributes to the formation of new kidney stones. They will also work to develop a dietary plan, compatible with your tastes, to minimize your overall stone risk.

KidneyStones_2

 

What Are Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits that form in your kidneys for a variety of reasons. Most stones are caused by our diet, but some are due to recurrent infections, or other medical conditions. Unfortunately for some people, they are just more prone to kidney stones than others. In fact, if you have had a kidney stone in the past, you are 50% more likely to get one again in the next 10 years.

Common Symptoms of Kidney Stones

Some people can have kidney stones with no symptoms and pass it with ease, maybe never having realized it was happening. Other people will experience intense pain in the side, back, or groin, nausea and vomiting, and pain when urinating. Burning when you pee, as well as cloudy red or pink urine, can also indicate that you have a kidney stone. If you do experience these symptoms you should reach out to your doctor immediately for the next steps on diagnosis and treatment.

Common Causes of Kidney Stones
  • Low urine volume
  • Certain diets
  • Other medical conditions
  • Family history
  • Medications

Learn How To Prevent Kidney Stones

Importance of Proper Kidney Function

What does the kidney do?

Kidneys are abdominal organs that have some main maintenance functions of the human body. When kidneys are not functioning properly toxins begin to build inside the body because of the kidney’s filtering properties. 

Some of their functions include: 
  • Removes waste from the body and extra fluid
  • Helps control blood pressure
  • Produces red blood cells
  • Promotes bone health by producing Vitamin D
  • Helps maintain pH levels in the body by balancing acids

 

  • Symptoms of Kidney Problems or Failure
  • Common Kidney Diseases or Conditions
  • Risk Factors

Some symptoms that the kidneys are not functioning well are:  

  • Breathlessness
  • Breath smells
  • Confusion
  • Fatigue
  • Itchiness
  • Lack of appetite
  • Muscle cramping
  • Poor sleep
  • Swollen face and/or feet
  • Very dark, brown, or bloody urine
  • Acute and chronic kidney disease
  • Fluid and electrolyte abnormalities
  • Hematuria (blood in the urine)
  • High blood pressure
  • Kidney stones
  • Proteinuria (protein in the urine)
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Diabetes
  • Family history of kidney problems
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure

Diagnosis

There are a few tests that a physician can use to determine the state of kidney function within an individual:  

  • Blood test – determines how well blood is being filtered in the kidneys. It is called glomerular filtration rate or GFR. A GFR of 60 or more is healthy, while less than 60 could be a sign of kidney disease. Less than 15 is diagnosed with kidney failure.
  • Imaging
  • Removing a piece of a kidney to test
  • Urine test – tests levels of protein in the urine. The test specifically looks for a protein called albumin, which is released into the kidneys when the kidney is not functioning. A level of 30 mg/g or less is healthy, while anything more can be a sign of kidney disease.

Treatment

A starting point for treating kidney issues are trying to treat the cause of the problem. That may require lifestyle changes or medications to treat for:

  • Anemia
  • High blood pressure
  • Lower cholesterol
  • Strengthen bones
  • Swelling
For end-stage kidney disease, more advanced and immediate treatment may be needed, which includes:
  • Dialysis – dialysis involves either using a thin tube, or catheter, inserted into the abdomen to fill the body with a solution to absorb waste and excess fluid, which then later drains from the body, or using a machine to filter waste from the blood.
  • Kidney transplant – a healthy kidney is surgically placed inside the body after removing a damaged one. Medication will then need to be permanently taken in order for the body to not reject the donor kidney.

Meet The Team

Alex Lubin, MD

Urologist

Chris Cosgrove, MD

Nephrologist

Elaine Piasecki, MS, LDN, RD

Registered Dietician