Modern management of renal colic

Renal stones are often asymptomatic, having been detected incidentally on imaging for other disorders. Renal stones can, however, cause severe pain when they move or obstruct the drainage of urine. Topics considered in this review of modern management of acute renal colic include clinical, laboratory and radiological diagnosis, analgesia, emergency scenarios and definitive stone management, including ureteroscopy and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy.