Methods for Treating Large Kidney Stones

Treating Kidney Stones with Uric Acid

Methods for Treating Large Kidney Stones

Health Lav89 - Methods for Treating Large Kidney Stones. If it turns out that kidney stones are uric acid stones, then you will be advised to drink about three liters of water every day so that kidney stones dissolve so that they can be removed by the urine. Uric acid stones are much softer than other types of kidney stones, and uric acid stones can become smaller when exposed to alkaline liquids.

Treating Large Kidney Stones.

If kidney stones are too large to pass the urinary tract naturally (6-7mm or more in diameter), special treatment modalities are needed to remove kidney stones. This includes:
  1. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)
  2. Ureteroscopy
  3. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
  4. Open surgery
This procedure will be explained in more detail below. This type of treatment will depend on the size and location of kidney stones.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)


ESWL is the most common way to treat kidney stones that cannot pass through the urinary tract. Before performing this action, first determine the location and size of kidney stones, either using X-rays (Rontgen) or ultrasound.

The ESWL device will send shock wave energy to break kidney stones into small pieces so that they can pass through the urinary tract along with urine. Usually it will cause pain, so this procedure is only done after the patient is given painkillers.

It may take several ESWL sessions to lose kidney stones until successful. Up to 99% ESWL effectively treats kidney stones up to 20mm in diameter (0.8 inches).

Ureterorenoscopy

If a kidney stone is trapped in the ureter (the tubular tube that connects the kidney to the bladder), then you may have to undergo ureterorenoscopy. Ureteroroscopy is also sometimes known as intracranial retrograde surgery (RIR).

Through this procedure, a long thin telescope tube called a ureteroscope is inserted into the urethra (outlet) to the bladder. This hose is then passed into the ureter until it reaches the place where the stone is trapped.

Then, at the end of the tool there is a tool to break kidney stones into small pieces so that they can pass through the urinary tract along with urine.

Ureterorenoscopy is performed when the patient is unconscious in anesthesia, so you do not need to feel pain during the procedure and you may not drive or operate the vehicle for up to 48 hours after the procedure. Ureterorenoscopy is effective in 50-80% of cases, used for kidney stones up to 15mm 0.6in in diameter).

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)

PCNL is an alternative procedure that can be used to break down larger kidney stones. This procedure can also be used if ESWL is not suitable (for example, because the person being treated has excessive weight or obesity).

At PCNL, doctors use a thin telescopic device called a nefroscope, used to make a small incision at the waist. Nephroscope is inserted through an incision to reach the kidney. Kidney stones can then be pulled out or broken into small pieces by a laser or pneumatic energy.

This procedure is also performed under general anesthesia (anesthetized patient), so you do not need to feel pain during the procedure and you may not drive or operate the vehicle for up to 48 hours after the procedure. The effectiveness of PCNL is 86% for stones up to 21-30mm (0.8-1.2 inches) in diameter.

Open Surgery

In the era of modern medicine, this procedure is rarely used, open surgery uses large incisions to remove kidney stones. Usually used if there is a very large stone or there is a structural (anatomical) structural disorder.