'My Back Hurts' Went to the Hospital... 300 Kidney Stones Found Inside a 20-Year-Old's Body

Taiwanese Woman in Her 20s Removes 300 Kidney Stones Through Surgery
Chronic Dehydration Due to Excessive Sugary Drink Consumption
"Shows Risks of Dehydration and Harmful Eating Habits"

A woman in her 20s in Taiwan, who usually drank fruit juice and sugar-containing tea instead of water, underwent surgery after more than 300 kidney stones were found in her kidney.

X-ray image of a Taiwanese woman who usually drank only juice instead of water, and the kidney stone removed from her kidney [Photo by Chi Mei Hospital·Taiwan News]

On the 10th (local time), Taiwan News and others reported that a woman in her 20s recently underwent surgery to remove about 300 kidney stones at Chi Mei Hospital in Tainan, a city in southwestern Taiwan. The woman visited the hospital due to severe pain in her lower back along with fever symptoms.

X-ray results showed that there were hundreds of large and small stones in her kidney, resulting in severe swelling of the right kidney.

The medical team removed the kidney stones accumulated inside the woman’s body through surgery. The stones removed from her body ranged in size from 0.5 cm to up to 2 cm in diameter, totaling more than 300.

The medical staff explained that the woman usually did not drink water but preferred to drink sugar-rich tea and fruit juice for hydration. They explained that excessive consumption of fructose beverages caused chronic dehydration, leading to mineral accumulation in the kidney.

Dr. Lin Chaiyang of Chi Mei Hospital said, "This is a clear example showing the risks of dehydration and unhealthy eating habits," adding, "To properly process sugar, salt, and calcium in the body, it is necessary to drink plenty of water."

Kidney stones refer to solidified formations inside the kidney where substances in the urine crystallize or deposit into stone-like shapes. They form when there are excessive amounts of calcium, oxalate, phosphate, or uric acid in the urine, and they easily occur when body fluids decrease and mineral concentrations increase. Major causes include bacterial infections, metabolic disorders, and excessive intake of foods containing stone-forming substances.

When these stones are small, they can pass naturally through the urine. However, if the stones are large, they can cause various problems in the urinary tract, including the kidney, ureter, bladder, and urethra during their movement.

In North America, 7-15%, in Europe 5-9%, and in Asia 1-5% of people suffer from kidney stones. Generally, men are known to have about three times higher chances of developing kidney stones than women. In Taiwan, 14.9% of men experience kidney stones, while the incidence rate among women is only 4.3%.

The woman was discharged after all stones were removed through surgery and is currently recovering her health while receiving outpatient care.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.