Does The Patient Need Anesthesia
Yes, even though there is no incision, there will be pain. You and your doctor will discuss whether light sedation and local or general anesthetics will be used. The choice depends on the technique, the type of stone and the patient. SWL can be delivered with just mild sedation, but in general, some type of anesthesia–either local, regional or general–is used to help the patient remain still, reduce any discomfort, and this improves the breaking of the stone.
When Can Swl Be Used
SWL works better with some stones than others. Very large stones cannot be treated this way. The size and shape of stone, where it is lodged in your urinary tract, your health, and your kidneys’ health will be part of the decision to use it. Stones that are smaller than 2 cm in diameter are the best size for SWL. The treatment might not be effective in very large ones.
SWL is more appropriate for some people than others. Because x-rays and shock waves are needed in SWL, pregnant women with stones are not treated this way. People with bleeding disorders, infections, severe skeletal abnormalities, or who are morbidly obese also not usually good candidates for SWL. lf your kidneys have other abnormalities, your doctor may decide you should have a different treatment. lf you have a cardiac pacemaker, a cardiologist will decide if you can have SWL.
The Donts You Need To Remember
- Avoid eating junk, foods with added sugar, and preservatives. Such food items make the kidney stones grow severe and aggravate the pain.
- You just cannot and must not lead a sedentary mode of lifestyle. This increases the risk of obesity. With obesity comes numerous health problems including pesky kidney stones.
- You gotta cut down on caffeine and carbonated colas. These drinks are not nourishing and rather impart dehydrating effects. And, you are already aware of the negative connection of kidney stones and dehydration.
- Last but not the least, cigarettes and alcohol. Nothing harms your body than these two ill habits. And the harm does not limit to your physical health. Prolonged smoking and excessive alcohol consumption only trigger intense pain of kidney stones along with other complications.
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Is It Urgent That The Patient Be Treated With A Procedure Like This
lf the stone does not pass on its own, it will require treatment. lf you have an infection, severe pain, or if your kidney function is threatened, your doctors will act quickly. lf you only have one kidney or have had a kidney transplant, your stone will be treated more quickly. lf you have large stones or stones in both kidneys, your doctors will not wait to treat you.
What About Stones In The Ureter
Most small ureteral stones will pass on their own. lf they don’t pass, then another intervention is usually done. Ureteral stones that occur near the kidney are usually treated by SWL with or without moving the stone to a better spot. Ureteral stones that occur lower may also be treated with SWL, but they usually require ureteroscopy especially if they are large .
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What Other Treatment Choices For Kidney Stones Are Available
Drug treatment is being studied with such drugs as such as calcium channel blockers , steroids and alpha-adrenergic blockers. The idea is that the stone might be dissolved with medication. Other drugs such as K-citrate, thiazides or allopurinol are prescribed to prevent new stones from developing. Most doctors agree that more medical trials are needed.
When SWL is not appropriate or doesn’t work, some people will need ureteroscopy, a technique that goes through the bladder to reach the stone or percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a technique that goes through a small incision created in your back. Some people, in extremely rare cases, even need open surgery, a technique that involves a larger incision in your abdomen. The medical terms for kidney stone surgery are ureterolithotomy or nephrolithotomy.
What Is Kidney Stone Surgery
Kidney stone surgery involves a surgeon either physically removing a kidney stone whole or in pieces, or essentially blasting it apart so that it can be passed by the body.
This surgery may be scheduled or performed urgently by a urologista healthcare provider who deals with diseases of the urinary tract.
There are different types of kidney stone surgeries. Depending on the one performed, you may go home the same day or stay in the hospital for one or more nights.
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Lithotripsy For Kidney Stones
In Lithotripsy, shock waves are used to break larger stones into smaller ones so that the smaller pieces can easily pass through the urinary tract. These smaller pieces flush out of the body along with the urine.
The entire procedure of Lithotripsy gets completed in less than an hour and you wont even feel any pain. The procedure is minimally invasive and you can get rid of kidney stones without much discomfort.
If you are experiencing the troubles of kidney stones, it is better to maintain a proactive approach so that serious complications can be avoided.
The modern Lithotripsy procedure is available at Pristyn Care. If your condition requires undergoing lithotripsy, you can contact us. Our medical coordinators will resolve any queries that you have about the procedure and we will be happy to help you lead a pain-free and complication-free life.
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Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Or Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy
If your stone is large or lithotripsy doesn’t break it up enough, this surgery is an option. PCNL uses a small tube to reach the stone and break it up with high-frequency sound waves.
You will be given something so that you wonât be awake during this surgery. Your surgeon will make a small cut in your back or side and place a thin scope into the hole.
The surgery can be done in one of two ways:
Nephrolithotomy: Your surgeon removes the stone through a tube
Nephrolithotripsy: Your surgeon uses sound waves or a laser to break up the stone and then vacuums up the pieces with a suction machine.
The surgery takes 20 to 45 minutes. You’ll typically have to stay in the hospital for a day or two afterward. Usually, a stent will have to stay in your kidney for a few days to help urine drain.
Your doctor might do an X-ray or ultrasound a few weeks later to see whether any parts of the stone are left. They might also send the stone fragments to a lab to find out what they’re made of.
Risks from this surgery include:
- Damage to the bladder, bowel, ureter, kidney, or liver
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Why You Get Stones
Part of preventing stones is finding out why you get them. Your health care provider will perform tests to find out what is causing this. After finding out why you get stones, your health care provider will give you tips to help stop them from coming back.
Some of the tests he or she may do are listed below.
Medical and Dietary History
Your health care provider will ask questions about your personal and family medical history. He or she may ask if:
- Have you had more than one stone before?
- Has anyone in your family had stones?
- Do you have a medical condition that may increase your chance of having stones, like frequent diarrhea, gout or diabetes?
Knowing your eating habits is also helpful. You may be eating foods that are known to raise the risk of stones. You may also be eating too few foods that protect against stones or not drinking enough fluids.
Understanding your medical, family and dietary history helps your health care provider find out how likely you are to form more stones.
Blood and Urine Tests
Imaging Tests
When a health care provider sees you for the first time and you have had stones before, he or she may want to see recent X-rays or order a new X-ray. They will do this to see if there are any stones in your urinary tract. Imaging tests may be repeated over time to check for stone growth. You may also need this test if you are having pain, hematuria or recurrent infections.
Stone Analysis
Get Advanced Painless Kidney Stone Surgeries In India
People in India who are dealing with the pain and discomfort of kidney stones can get in touch with one of our specialists for expert advice. We offer the most advanced and minimally invasive procedures for permanent kidney stone treatment. The modern kidney stone surgeries are completely painless and absolutely safe. Our surgeons are highly experienced and you can trust us for a reliable treatment. Give us a call to book your appointment today.
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What Size Of Kidney Stone Is Dangerous
What size of kidney stone is dangerous?
Kidney stones are the hard masses, which are a combination of minerals and salts in the body. Kidney stones can develop in one as well as both the kidneys. These hard compositions generally form in the kidney, and then they might move to the Ureter. As we all know, Ureter is a kind of tube connecting kidneys to the bladder. It also allows the urine to flow.
In starting, a stone is too small that is easily cleared out from the body through the urine. But the stones grow in size they may get stuck in the Ureter. In this condition, the natural flow of the urine gets affected significantly, and sometimes it gets completely obstructed. As a result, a patient starts noticing several complications, mainly pain in any side of the abdomen. It can be responsible for any chronic kidney disease if proper treatment is not taken timely.
The stones smaller than 4 millimeters pass naturally on their own in almost 80 percent of cases, and they might take around 31 days.
While the stones that are 4-6 mm can cause many problems and hence requires treatment. With the help of medicines and some routine amendments, these stones can be eliminated.
Choosing this holistic treatment saves you from Allopathic surgery that is a complicated procedure and may prove risky as well. In many cases, it is seen that even after surgery, a patient may develop kidney stones recurring.
Do I Need Surgery For My Kidney Stone
Kidney stones are small, hard deposits that can form in one or both of your kidneys. Created by a build-up of minerals, these deposits are usually passed through the urinary tract without issue. Unfortunately, a larger stone can become lodged inside the ureter the small tube between the bladder and kidney. While kidney stones are usually no larger than a tiny pebble, they can cause immense pain for those struggling to pass them.
If youre a patient suffering from kidney stones, you may be wondering whether youll need to undergo surgery. Here are five important questions to consider about stone removal and treatment options:
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What Are The Risks Of Ureteroscopy
The risks of ureteroscopy treatment include infection, bleeding and injury to the ureter. There is a one in 1000 risk of a major injury that could require an extensive surgery to repair. Your healthcare provider may need to use a stent and leave it in place for one to two weeks to help your kidney heal and drain. If you have a stent, an appointment will be made to have it removed.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 02/08/2021.
References
How Does Laser Stone Surgery Work
The surgery is minimally invasive and requires no incisions on your body. Once you are asleep, a small lighted instrument is placed into your urethra and bladder to access your ureter and kidney.
Once the stone is seen, a laser fiber is used to transmit Holmium energy to break up your kidney stones. The surgeon removes some pieces through the urethra with a small basket, and smaller pieces can be passed later with urination. The surgeon may also use a high-powered holmium laser with high-frequency emissions that “dust” the stones into a fine powder. You can then pass the fine particles in your urine after surgery. An even more efficient way of transmitting the holmium laser is by modulating the pulse using the Moses effect, which may result in more efficient stone dusting or fragmentation.
The surgeon will likely insert a tube called a stent between the kidney and urethra. This promotes healing and lets small stone fragments pass more easily. Most importantly, this stent allows your kidney to drain during the healing process. The stent is removed about 1 week after surgery. The length of surgery is generally under 1 hour, depending on the size and number of your kidney stones. Use of the dusting technique combined with the Moses effect may decrease the need to remove stones with a basket, thereby minimizing the need to use a stent.
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Choose Expert Urologic Care
Our urologists are committed to treating your medical condition, reducing your pain and discomfort and easing your mind as quickly as possible. With same-day and next-day appointments at our 8 locations throughout Central Florida, you can get in, get relief and get back to your life faster than ever!
Symptoms You Might Experience
Some symptoms you may experience after kidney stone removal can seem alarming, but are usually normal. These include:
- Pain and nausea: These are common and occur as kidney stone fragments pass through your urinary tract and out of your body. Your healthcare provider may prescribe you pain and anti-nausea medications to ease these symptoms.
- Mild discomfort at incision sites, if any: Ask your practitioner about how to best care for these sites, including when you can safely shower.
- Blood in urine painful urination : This may occur after ureteroscopy with ureteral stent placement. Most stents are removed around one to two weeks after surgery, but be sure to confirm the timing of this with your healthcare provider.
- Soreness at tube insertion site: If you have a nephrostomy tube placed, be sure to follow your practitioner’s instructions for keeping the skin around the tube dry and clean.
Of course, if you are ever concerned about any symptoms you are experiencingespecially if they persist for more than a few dayscall your surgeon.
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How To Prepare For Lithotripsy
Its important to tell your doctor about any prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or supplements you take. Certain drugs, such as aspirin , ibuprofen , and warfarin or other blood thinners, can interfere with your bloods ability to clot properly.
Your doctor will probably ask you to stop taking these medications well before the procedure. However, dont stop taking drugs youve been prescribed unless your doctor tells you to.
Some people have lithotripsy under local anesthesia, which numbs the area to prevent pain. However, most people have the procedure under general anesthesia, which puts them to sleep during the procedure. If youre going to be under general anesthesia, your doctor may tell you not to drink or eat anything for at least six hours before the procedure.
If youre having ESWL under general anesthesia, plan for a friend or family member to drive you home after the procedure. General anesthesia may make you drowsy after lithotripsy, so you shouldnt drive until the effects have fully worn off.
What Can The Patient Expect After Treatment
The recovery time is usually fairly brief. After treatment, the patient can get up to walk almost at once, Many people can fully resume daily activities within one to two days. Special diets are not required, but drinking plenty of water helps the stone fragments pass. For several weeks, you may pass stone fragments.
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Are Kidney Stones Dangerous
The pivotal role of kidneys is to flush out the waste and extra fluids from the body through urine. If there is an excess of toxins or wastes in the body and insufficient fluids, these toxins tend to crystallize and collect inside your kidneys. In a short span of time, such crystals can change into hard stones called kidney stones.
Obesity, high protein diet, excess consumption of salt, and sugar act as a trigger for kidney stones.
Kidney stones are a common health problem that can occur in both the genders, but men are more prone to the risks of kidney stones. Also, people who belong to the age group of 30-60 years have more chances of kidney stones.
We know that kidney stones are fairly common and troublesome. Considering the pain and misery, the question that may pop up in your mind is if these stones are very dangerous?
Well, yes kidney stones can be dangerous in severe cases. If you leave kidney stones unattended or keep on delaying the treatment, it can add up to the dangerous effects of kidney stones on your health.
Urinary System Parts And Their Functions:
- Two kidneys. A pair of purplish-brown organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. Their function is to:
- Remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine
- Keep a stable balance of salts and other substances in the blood
- Produce erythropoietin, a hormone that aids the formation of red blood cells
- Regulate blood pressure
The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a ball formed of small blood capillaries, called a glomerulus, and a small tube called a renal tubule. Urea, together with water and other waste substances, forms the urine as it passes through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney.
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