The mechanism of formation of urinary stones is not fully understood and there are various theories.More than 90% of urinary stones contain calcium. Abnormal calcium metabolism in the body is one of the most important factors causing calcium-containing urinary stones. Urinary stones include crystalline aggregates and organic matrix. Normal human urine contains substances that inhibit the formation, growth and aggregation of crystals, including low molecular weight citrate and pyrophosphate, and larger molecular weight glucosaminoglycans and renal calicin, etc. Changes in these inhibitors may also be related to the formation of stones. According to the location of stones, urinary stones can be divided into upper urinary tract stones and lower urinary tract stones, with the former including renal stones and ureteral stones, and the latter including bladder stones and urethral stones. Based on their chemical composition, stones are classified into five main groups, namely calcium oxalate stones, calcium phosphate stones, uric acid stones, magnesium ammonium phosphate stones and cystine stones. Upper urinary tract stones are dominated by mixed calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate and simple calcium oxalate stones; lower urinary tract stones are dominated by urate stones and mixed calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones. The etiology and formation mechanism of urinary stones are complex, and the clinical manifestations are varied, making treatment decisions difficult. Removing the factors that induce stone formation, consuming enough water in daily life and improving bad habits are beneficial to inhibit stone formation and growth. With the advancement of science and technology, there is now greater progress in the pharmacologic and surgical treatment of urinary stones. Pharmacologic treatment includes treatment of renal colic, stone removal, stone dissolution and etiology. Surgical treatment includes extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, ureteroscopic lithotripsy, cystoscopic lithotripsy, laparoscopic lithotripsy and open surgical lithotripsy, etc. Each surgical treatment has its own indications and contraindications. The specific treatment plan should be rationally selected according to the patient’s condition, combined with the local medical conditions and economic level.