Watching vs surgery for kidney stones in children
Part of Kidney & urinary, Women’s health & pregnancy clinical trials.
This study compares simply watching a kidney stone over time versus having surgery to remove it, in children and teens who have a small, symptom-free stone. The goal is to see which approach leads to better health outcomes.
Summary written for real people, not researchers, by Clin2.
Who can take part
- Age 6 or older and diagnosed with kidney stone disease.
- The stone must be small (4–10 mm) and not causing pain, blockages, or blood in urine for at least 3 months.
- Must be willing to be randomly assigned to either observation or surgery (or join a separate observation-only group if not comfortable with randomization).
- Speak English or Spanish and agree to be audio/video recorded during interviews.
- No untreated blockages, repeated urinary infections, or stones in the kidney's drainage area (pelvis, ureter, bladder, or urethra).
Quick eligibility check
Answer a few plain-language questions, based on this study's own requirements, to get a preliminary sense of fit.
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