INFORMATION FOR THE PATIENT WITH KIDNEY STONES

What is a kidney stone?
Most people can dissolve all the chemical wastes produced by the body into their urine. Some people have an excessive amount of one or more of these substances (like calcium) in their urine. Since the urine cannot dissolve such large amounts of these substances, small crystals made out of them are formed. As more and more of these crystals develop, they “stick” together to form a kidney stone.

Kidney stones develop when crystals, which are present in the urine, begin to stick together and gradually build up into a rock-like mass. Initially, kidney stones are quite small in size, but over time, as more and more crystals attach, they can grow quite large.

Passing a kidney stone can be an incredibly painful experience. New technology has greatly improved the methods of stone removal. In addition, improved medical treatment can prevent recurrent kidney stone formation.

Our specialists can assist you in the surgical and non-surgical treatment of stones. For stones that cannot or do not pass, we are skilled in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy Management If. We treat stones using the latest in minimally invasive and non-invasive technology. For recurrent stone formers and those with certain risk factors, we offer full metabolic evaluation to identify underlying causes of stone formation.

Summary of Our Treatments
ESWL- The patient is placed on a small water bed cushion and light anesthesia is administered. A small parabolic dish focused shock waves onto the stone and breaks it into tiny fragments, which then can be passed in the urine. The size and location of the stone will determine if ESWL is an appropriate treatment. The vast majority of such treatments are done on and outpatient basis.

Ureteroscopy with Laser- A flexible or long narrow scope is passed through the bladder and into the ureter (urine tube). A tiny fiber is passed through the scope to allow laser energy to be focused on the stone and to break it into pieces. The fragments are then removed using a small flexible basket.

Laparoscopic/ Percutaneous Stone Removal through Scope- For large stones located within the kidney which may not respond to ESWL, a scope may be passed directly into the kidney via a small incision in the flank. This procedure requires a general anesthesia but usually only requires a single overnight stay in the hospital. The results are excellent even for the largest of stones and recovery is still much quicker than that needed for open stone surgery.