The clinical implications of brushite calculi.

The clinical history of 30 patients with a total of 46 proved brushite urinary calculi was reviewed. The patients were active metabolically with 87% having a history of multiple calculi. Of the brushite stones 61% appeared hyperdense on x-ray but they had no consistent shape. Of the patients who were metabolically evaluated 82% had treatable abnormalities. Treatment with percutaneous nephrostolithotomy or ureteroscopy and ureteral lithotripsy was 92% successful in rendering the patient stone-free, whereas, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy monotherapy resulted in a stone-free rate of only 11%. Brushite stone patients require aggressive treatment, full metabolic evaluation and close clinical followup.