**8. Conclusion**

Although a rare inherited condition, cystinuria remains an important cause of renal calculi. Establishing the diagnosis is crucial in order to prevent further calculi formation in these patients, whose treatment is distinctly different to patients with the commoner calcium-containing calculi. Our increasing understanding of the underlying genetic mutations causing cystinuria provides further information on the condition, and may eventually lead to treatments targeted at the underlying defect. However, at present, preventative medical treatment is the mainstay of treatment, reducing the calculi burden in cystinuria patients and aiming to avoid the risk of chronic renal impairment posed by recurrent calculi formation.
