Medical Blog

What is a kidney stone?

A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine and often severe pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Kidney stones are sometimes called renal calculi. One in every 20 people develops a kidney stone at some point in their life.

The condition of having kidney stones is termed nephrolithiasis. Having stones at any location in the urinary tract is referred to as urolithiasis. Read more…

Pancreatic Necrosis and Pancreatic Abscess

Introduction
Background

Although there can be overlap in the characterization of infections in the pancreas, recognizing the different terms used in describing this complication of acute pancreatitis is important. A pancreatic abscess (PA) is a collection of pus resulting from tissue necrosis, liquefaction, and infection. Infected necrosis refers to bacterial contamination of necrotic pancreatic tissue in the absence of abscess formation. A pseudocyst is a peripancreatic fluid collection containing high concentrations of pancreatic enzymes within a defined fibrous wall and lacking an epithelial lining. Read more…

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammation or an infection of the pancreas. It may be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis means that symptoms develop suddenly. Chronic pancreatitis is a long-standing inflammation of the pancreas.
What is going on in the body?

The pancreas is a leaf-shaped gland that is located behind the stomach. It secretes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon. It also secretes sodium bicarbonate, which neutralizes the acid coming from the stomach.
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Urinary Tract and Kidney Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a very common medical complication of pregnancy. Unless treated, UTI can cause serious problems in pregnancy. Normal urine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but it is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The tissues of the bladder are isolated from urine and toxic substances by a coating that discourages bacteria from attaching and growing on the bladder wall. Read more…