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KIDNEY STONES TREATMENT
Remove stones with rays without
surgery
WHAT ARE KIDNEY STONES?
Kidney stones are a common and painful medical problem. Kidney stones are formed when salts in the urine precipitate and form solid material by deposits of mineral salts bound together by a protein matrix.
WHAT DO KIDNEY STONES LOOK LIKE?
Kidney stones may be small or large and either smooth or jagged. They are usually yellow or brown.
WHERE ARE THE STONES PRESENT?
The stones may be in the Kidney, ureter or the urinary bladder.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF KIDNEY STONES?
? Pain.
? Blood in your urine
? Fever and chills
? Vomiting
? Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy
? A burning feeling when you urinate
WHAT DAMAGE DOES KIDNEY STONE CAUSE?
Small stones can cause pain as they pass from the kidneys down to the bladder while large stones can get stuck in the kidney or in the bladder and cause pain, infection and kidney damage. Obstruction and infection can result in kidney failure.
ARE KIDNEY STONES COMMON IN INDIA?
Yes, kidney stones are very common in India, more so in the rural areas.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR KIDNEY STONES?
The complete approach to stone disease involves treatment of the existing stone and preventive measures against recurrence. The majority of kidney stones pass by themselves through the urinary tract and out with the flow of urine. However pain can be so severe that hospital admission and pain killer medicines are required.
Sometimes an open operation is needed to remove stones.
Many stones can be removed with Endoscopic keyhole surgery i.e. extraction with the aid of telescopes..
Now a new invention, the lithotripter, is available for effective treatment of kidney stones with little pain or discomfort using an intense beam of ultrasound to smash large kidney stones into small fragments.
WHAT IS EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE LITHOTRIPSY (ESWL)?
During ESWL the stone is localized using an image intensifier and high frequency shock waves (water pressure) are focused onto the stone which results in its mechanical disintegration into small particles. The doctor can see on the x-rays that the stone has been crushed by the shock waves. Subsequently the stone fragments pass out in the urine. This process may require to be repeated for large stones.
For large stones and patients with ureteric obstruction a Double J Stent (a temporary ureteric tube) may be needed to be placed by a cystoscope through the normal urinary passage. One end of the stent lies in the kidney while the other in the bladder with nothing visible from outside. This dilates the ureter and prevents obstruction during the passage of stone particles. When the patient is stone free, the stent is removed with the help of cystoscope without any operation.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF LITHOTRIPSY OVER SURGERY?
• No incision and no scars (as after surgery)
• Safe - no anaesthesia
• Age no bar - Safe even in children and elderly
• No blood transfusion or AIDS risk
• OPD walk-in walk-out treatment – Minimum work loss
• Treatment can be safely repeated in recurrent stones
• Comfortable - Most patients need nil or minimal sedation and pain killers (analgesics)
• Life saving for patients unfit for surgery, single kidney patients etc.
• Economical
WHAT TEST WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE TREATMENT?
Before treatment, blood and urine tests, X-rays and ECG are done to determine the type of stone, function of the kidney as well as to ensure safety to the patient.
WHAT PREPARATIONS AM I SUPPOSE TO DO BEFORE TREATMENT?
A high liquid intake the night before the treatment and a mild laxative on the eve of procedure is recommended. Patient should come to the hospital on the morning of lithotripsy treatment after an overnight fast.
WHAT WILL I FEEL DURING THE TREATMENT?
During the treatment, which is usually least painful, the patient can relax comfortably on the treatment table and talk to doctors and nurses. Appropriate medications will be provided in case of any discomfort.
HOW LONG DOES THE TREATMENT TAKE?
The average treatment time is 20-40 minutes. Single small stones may take less time to clear and large or multiple stones will take longer and multiple treatment sessions
.
IF REQUIRED WHEN WILL THE TUBE BE PLACED INSIDE THE KIDNEY?
For large stones a Double J Stent is usually placed before ESWL. This is often done under general anaesthesia but can be done under local anaesthesia, on patient’s choice.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE STENT IN THE KIDNEY?
The Stent has to be removed when the stone is cleared.
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