What type of kidney stone is associated with a strong odor of rotten eggs in urine?

Struvite stones are associated with a strong odor of rotten eggs in urine due to the presence of bacteria that produce urease. Urease breaks down urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide, leading to an alkaline urine environment. This alkaline environment contributes to the formation of struvite stones, which are typically composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate. The odor of ammonia, which can be reminiscent of rotten eggs, is a direct result of this process.

In terms of stone formation, struvite stones are often linked to urinary tract infections caused by urease-producing organisms, such as Proteus species. This underlines the significance of recognizing urinary symptoms and characteristics that may indicate an underlying infection contributing to stone formation.

Other types of kidney stones, such as calcium phosphate, cystine, and uric acid stones, do not typically produce the same notable odor pattern, as they do not result from the metabolic processes involving urease-producing bacteria in the urine. Thus, the strong odor of rotten eggs in urine is a distinctive characteristic marking struvite stones among the options presented.