Urinary stones are polycrystalline concretions occurring in the urinary tract of humans and may range in size from micrometers to several centimeters in diameter. Around 97% of urinary stones are found in the kidneys and ureters (kidney stones), the remaining 3% in the urinary bladder and urethra.
Urolithiasis has gradually become a universal problem as it is known to affect patients across geographical, cultural, and racial boundaries. The prevalence of urinary stones has progressively increased in the industrialized nations, and a similar trend is being observed in developing countries. This growing prevalence and incidence could be accounted to be due to change in lifestyle and improvements in diagnosis. Available data has shown that urolithiasis affects about 12% of the world population at some stage in their lifetime and occurs more frequently in men than in women within the age of 20-49 years. In Indian population, about 12% of them are expected to have urinary stones and out of which 50% may end up with loss of kidney functions.