Kidney Stone Laser Lithotripsy Procedure

Lithotripsy is a medical procedure that uses shock waves or a laser to break down stones in the kidney gallbladder or ureter.

Kidney stone laser lithotripsy procedure.

Pcnl uses a small tube to reach the stone and break it up with high frequency sound waves. How does laser stone surgery work. You may feel the urge to go even if you don t need to. You may experience internal bleeding and need a blood transfusion.

However with the advent of technology lasers have now been used as a treatment method for getting rid of kidney stones. This treatment uses a laser to break kidney stones into tiny pieces. Laser lithotripsy is a way to treat kidney stones. If a procedure is done to remove or break up a stone or to take a tissue sample for a biopsy the ureteroscopy may take longer.

Ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy is used to break up kidney stones by that were not passed and remain lodged in the ureter. The medical terms for kidney stone surgery with an incision are ureterolithotomy or nephrolithotomy. How successful is shock wave lithotripsy. If your stone is large or lithotripsy doesn t break it up enough this surgery is an option.

The surgery is minimally invasive and requires no incisions on your body. Ln those patients who are thought to be good candidates for this treatment some 50 75 are found to be free of stones within three months of swl treatment. During this procedure a laser beam is applied directly to the stone to break it into small pieces and passed easily. Kidney stones affect 1 in 500 americans each year causing significant pain and healthcare expense.

Your renal anatomy stone composition and body habitus all play major roles in determining outcomes and operative approach. Surgical options for patients with symptomatic kidney stones include extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy eswl ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy pcnl. Once the stone is seen a laser fiber is used to transmit holmium energy to break up your kidney stones. In the past treatment would mean surgery with more often than not an incision being made.

Once you are asleep a small lighted instrument ureteroscope is placed into your urethra and bladder to access your ureter and kidney. Drinking a lot of water can help. Laser lithotripsy for kidney stones. Like most procedures some risks are involved in lithotripsy.

For several hours after the procedure you may have a burning feeling when you urinate. Nearly gone are the days when kidney stone surgery involved actual incisions. You can develop infection and even kidney damage when a stone. This feeling should go away within a day.