Kidney stones is a common and ancient disease. Yet, many questions
concerning their etiology, treatment, and prevention are still open. The
Harnstein-Symposien Bonn-Wien is an organization designed to bring
together scientists from the various fields relevant to urolithiasis:
medicine, urology, biochemistry, etc. In the framework of this organiza-
tion an International Workshop was held in Tel Aviv on December 10 and
11 1980 to discuss the various aspects of uric acid lithiasis. Uric acid
stones have been known to mankind for thousands of years. Urate-contain-
ing stones were found in Egyptian mummies and in a three-thousand-year
old mummy from Arizona. Evidently, with the constant increase in
standard of living, associated with increased amount of purine intake,
which we are facing in this century, the fre- quency of uric acid
lithiasis is on the increase. In the second half of this century, signi-
ficant progress has been made in the knowledge of the mechanisms of uric
acid over- production, as well as in the understanding of the etiology,
prevention, and tretament of uric acid stones. As a result, uric acid
lithiasis can be prevented and when present it can be treated well.
Moreover most uric acid stones can be dissolved in vivo. This workshop
included reviews from some of the leading authorities on the various
aspects of uric acid metabolism in man: biochemistry, pathology, renal
handling, nutri- tion, etc., and these reviews and results of new
studies are presented here.