- Types of Kidney Stone Surgery
- 1. Laser surgery for kidney stones
- 2. Surgery for kidney stones with shock waves
- 3. Kidney stone surgery with video
- Risks of Kidney Stone Surgery
Kidney stone surgery is used only when kidney stones are larger than 6 mm or when taking medication is not enough to eliminate it in the urine.
Normally, recovery from kidney stone surgery lasts up to 3 days, being longer in cases of stones larger than 2 cm, when it is necessary to make a cut to reach the kidney, and it can take up to 1 week before the person can return to work, for example. Learn general care after any surgery.
After kidney stone surgery, the person must maintain a healthy diet and drink at least 1 liter of water per day to prevent the appearance of new kidney stones. Find out more about what the diet should look like at: Kidney Stone Food.
Types of Kidney Stone Surgery
The type of kidney stone surgery depends on the size and location of the kidney stone, whether there is an associated infection and what the symptoms are, but the most used treatments include:
1. Laser surgery for kidney stones
Laser surgery for kidney stones, also known as urethroscopy or laser lithotripsy, is used to eliminate stones smaller than 15 mm by introducing a small tube from the urethra to the person's kidney, where, after finding the stone, a laser is used to break the kidney stone into small pieces that can be eliminated in the urine.
Recovery from surgery: During laser surgery for kidney stones, general anesthesia is used and, therefore, it is necessary to stay in hospital for at least 1 day until recovering from the effects of anesthesia. This type of surgery does not leave any marks and allows the person to return to their normal activities in less than 1 week after the surgery.
2. Surgery for kidney stones with shock waves
Shock wave kidney stone surgery, also called shock wave extracorporeal lithotripsy, is used in the case of kidney stones between 6 and 15 mm in size. This technique is done with a device that produces shock waves focused only on the stone to break it into small pieces that can be eliminated in the urine.
Recovery from surgery: usually, the surgery is done without the need for anesthesia and, therefore, the person can return home on the same day. However, some people may experience a fever after surgery and it is recommended that you rest at home for 3 days until all the pieces of stone are eliminated in the urine.
3. Kidney stone surgery with video
Video kidney stone surgery, scientifically known as percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, is used in cases of kidney stones larger than 2 cm or when the kidney has an anatomical abnormality. It is made through a small cut in the lumbar region, in which a needle is inserted up to the kidney to allow the entry of a special device, called a nephroscope, which removes the kidney stone.
Recovery from surgery: this type of surgery is usually done under general anesthesia and, therefore, the patient returns home 1 to 2 days after the surgery. During recovery at home, which takes about 1 week, it is recommended to avoid impact activities, such as running or lifting heavy objects, and having the surgery cut every 3 days or according to the doctor's recommendations.
Risks of Kidney Stone Surgery
The main risks of kidney stone surgery include kidney damage and infections. Thus, during the first week after surgery it is important to be aware of some symptoms such as:
- Renal cramps; Bleeding in the urine; Fever above 38ºC; Severe pain; Difficulty urinating.
When the patient presents these symptoms, he must immediately go to the emergency room or return to the unit where he had the surgery to perform diagnostic exams, such as ultrasound or computed tomography, and start the appropriate treatment, avoiding the situation getting worse.
