The Associated Urologists of Orange County (AUOC) estimate that around 20 percent of the world’s population suffers from kidney stones at some point in their lives. Every year, half a million people in U.S. go to emergency rooms for problems related to kidney stones. In most cases kidney stones pass out of the body without being noticed. However, when a stone grows large enough, pain can become acute and medical intervention may be required.
Passing Through Urine
Once you have been diagnosed with a kidney stone, your doctor will try to ascertain its size. If it is less than 5 mm, the doctor will suggest drinking plenty of water–usually 2 to 3 liters per day–so the stone will pass off through your urine. Painkillers may be prescribed to alleviate the pain while you pass the stone. Some doctors may also prescribe medicines that relax your ureter to minimize discomfort.
Lithotripsy
This treatment is used to remove stones that are about 1 cm. During treatment, the patient lies on a cushion or in a tub of water. An instrument called a lithotripter sends shock waves or acoustic pulses to the stones’ location and causes them to break into tiny pieces. Local or general anesthesia is given to alleviate the pain.
You may feel discomfort while passing the stone fragments through your urinary tract after treatment. Some stones are unaffected by shock waves and require additional treatment. You can resume normal activity within a few days of treatment. According to the AUOC, around 42 percent of patients develop another kidney stone within two years after lithotripsy treatment.
Endoscopic Treatment
In this treatment, a very small incision is made near the kidney, through which the doctor inserts an endoscope to have a look at the kidney stone. If the stone size is larger than 1 cm, a laser is used to break down the stone into smaller pieces. The pieces are then either sucked out using a medical vacuum or are pulled out piece by piece with specialized tongs. Patients usually are given local anesthesia for this procedure.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) treatment is used if all other treatments fail. A surgeon will make a small incision in your back, where your kidneys are located, then use an instrument called nephroscope to break and extract the kidney stones. General anesthesia is used and patients are hospitalized for one to two days after the procedure. A full recovery generally takes one to two weeks.
About this Author
Based in Northern California, Devin Dupre-Neary has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from UC Davis. Rather than move towards a master’s or work in a hospital, he chose a different route. In 2009, he wrote professionally, part-time, writing articles on a host of subjects from health issues to gardening.
