Who Is The Ideal Candidate For Kidney Stones Removal?

You may need a kidney stone removal surgery to get rid of your kidney stones if:

• Your kidney stone is very large and can not pass on its own
• You’re suffering from unbearable pain
• The stone is blocking the urine flow
• You have urinary tract infections because of the stone

Preparation

Before the procedure, your doctor will discuss your medical history and order tests like an X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, blood tests, and urine tests.

Your doctor will ask you to:

• Avoid smoking before surgery
• Stop taking blood thinning medications
• Not eating or drinking after midnight before the surgery

Surgery Details

Ureteroscopy: During Ureteroscopy, the doctor inserts a thin, flexible scope to find and remove the stones. No cuts are made.

Shock Wave Lithotripsy: A procedure that utilizes ultrasound energy to break down the kidney stone into smaller fragments for them to pass through your urine easier.

Nephrolithotripsy: This procedure involves using a small tube to reach the stone and break it down with high-frequency sound waves.

Open surgery: Open surgery is performed when your stone is large or can’t be removed with other treatments.

After Surgery

After your surgery, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Soreness and bruising if you underwent external shock wave lithotripsy
• Discomfort and a small amount of blood in your urine for a few days
• Pain and nausea when the remaining stone fragments pass into the urine
• Incision and surgical pain if you had a surgical procedure

Home Recovery

The recovery time depends on the type of procedure you go through. Following are some common after-care instructions:

• Take the prescribed medications to alleviate the pain
• You may also be asked to use a filter to collect pieces of kidney stones if they pass into the urine
• Increase the level of physical activity gradually
• Drink plenty of fluid
• Take adequate rest
• Keep checking up with your doctor