Last Sunday, Pordenone, a town in northeastern Italy, was the scene of a daring burglary… but probably very disappointing for its perpetrators. By getting their hands on what they believed to be precious stones, the thieves actually took away much more “intimate” stones: kidney stones.
The very bad calculation of the burglars
According to the testimony of the victim, Giuseppe Ragogna, the thieves entered his home through the terrace before methodically searching the interior in search of valuable objects. The loot, however, seemed very meager: only a few dozen euros were scattered around the apartment.
“We don’t keep any jewelry or money at home, precisely to avoid this kind of situation,” the owner says today, almost amused by the situation.
But at the time of theft, the burglars ignore it. They persist, opening drawers and cupboards, until they set their sights on a small box containing several small pebbles with a mineral appearance. Jackpot! They quickly seize the “nuggets” and flee before the owner returns.
A loot which does not fail to amuse the owner of the place today: the so-called precious stones were none other than his last kidney stones, preserved after a medical analysis.
“I had kept the kidney stones that I had just had analyzed in a small box. They must have thought they had some value”he says.
Stones that are very difficult to resell… or to put on a necklace.
What are kidney stones actually?
Dr. Gérald Kierzek points out that kidney stones are hard concretions formed by the crystallization of mineral salts present in urine, in the kidneys or urinary tract. They most often appear when the urine is too concentrated, particularly in cases of dehydration, but also in connection with a diet rich in salt, animal proteins or oxalates, or even certain metabolic factors.
The most common are calcium stones, which represent approximately 80 to 85% of cases, but there are also uric acid, cystine or struvite stones, linked to urinary infections.
Why do we keep them?
Contrary to what one might believe, retaining a kidney stone is not unusual from a medical point of view. “Once expelled or removed, it can be analyzed in the laboratory by spectrophotometry to determine its precise chemical composition” explains our expert. This analysis makes it possible to adapt prevention: targeted diet, reinforced hydration, alkalizing treatments or medications limiting the formation of crystals.
Because without appropriate treatment, the risk of recurrence can reach almost 50%. But that’s not the only reason.
“Some patients also choose to keep them as a sort of “trophy” after a particularly painful episode, as renal colic is known to be intense.”
Can we really confuse them with precious stones?
Let’s be lenient with unlucky burglars. From a visual point of view, confusion is not entirely impossible.
“Kidney stones vary in size, from a few millimeters to several centimeters, and have rounded, ovoid or irregular shapes. Their surface may be smooth or ruffled, and their color ranges from pale yellow to brownish, sometimes resembling small gravel or rock fragments” admits Dr. Kierzek.
Some oxalocalcic stones, more translucent or crystalline, can even recall raw minerals such as milky quartz or small uncut topazes, with a certain brilliance and natural facets. Struvite stones, whiter and opaque, can evoke pearls or unpolished opals.
“In a simple box, without a medical context, their hardness, their density and their mineral appearance can therefore deceive a hurried eye.” A mistake which, in this Italian affair, illustrates both the visual resemblance between certain calculations and gems… and the serious lack of flair of the burglars.