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About Kidney Stones
IMG Healthcare provides laser techniques and minimally invasive methods for instant relief from kidney stone pain.
Undergo advanced RIRS, PCNL, URSL, and ESWL procedures. Call us to book an appointment for your kidney stone removal surgery.
Kidney stones can cause immense pain, discomfort and several urinary issues.
What are Kidney Stones?
A hard stone made up of salts as well as minerals, present in the kidney of the person is called a kidney stone (renal lithiasis). This smaller in size stone attacks the urinary tract, kidney and bladder causing an extreme level of pain. In a few cases, as suggested, drinking lots of water may pass out the stone through urination.
How are Kidney Stones formed?
Kidney stones form as a result of low fluid concentration in the urine, which increases the amount of toxic waste. Our kidneys filter the toxic waste from the body and flush it out through urine. However, when the concentration of toxic waste in the urine increases, it lumps with each other to form kidney stones.
Kidney stones may also form due to excessive amounts of certain salts and minerals. Calcium stones are one of the most common types of stones that contribute to about 80% of all kidney stone cases. A diet rich in calcium or oxalate is absorbed by the kidneys, which increases the amount of calcium oxalate in the urine. Apart from that, kidney stones are also caused by frequent urinary tract infections (UTI), increased amounts of uric acid in the body due to high animal protein intake, and certain lifestyle habits.
Types of Kidney Stones:
Calcium stones
Struvite
Stones
Cystine
Stones
Uric acid stones
Causes
Symptoms
A kidney stone may lead life into danger if not diagnosed or treated on time. However, the first step toward curing the disease is knowing the kidney stones cause. Given below are the causes and risk factors linked with kidney stones:
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Insufficient water intake
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Obesity
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Past intestinal surgery
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Diseases of the kidney
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Overdose of drugs or medicines
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Inherent from the family
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Consuming too much protein, sodium or sugar
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Swollen bowel or joints
Kidney stones that are usually smaller in size may not show symptoms and easily pass through urination, however, if the stones are larger in size, these may be the following symptoms;
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Painful urination
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Bleeding while urinating
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Back or lower abdomen stuck with sharp pain
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Nausea and vomiting
DIAGNOSIS
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Imaging tests – These tests include abdominal ultrasound, x-rays, or MRI to obtain 3D images of the stones in the abdomen. This helps in locating the area where the stones may be present. The cost of abdominal ultrasound usually starts from Rs. 1200 and can go up to Rs. 1500 depending on the city and type of hospital. CT scan usually starts from Rs. 4300 depending on the location and the type of healthcare center.
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Blood tests – Blood tests help examine the contents in your blood that may result in kidney stones. It is important to determine the presence of calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, and electrolytes that may result in the progression of kidney stones. Blood tests usually cost between Rs. 200 to Rs. 500.
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Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine test – This test helps identify any abnormal functioning in kidneys by determining the amount of nitrogen in the blood that comes from the waste product, urea.
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Urinalysis – This test is done to assess the contents of urine to identify any crystals, bacteria, or any other agents that can cause kidney stones or urinary tract infections.
Post-operative care:
Given below are specific guidelines that you must follow as post-operative care;
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Drink plenty of water
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Take prescribed medicines
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Avoid food high in salt or calcium
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Maintain a low-fat kidney stones diet
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Eat less animal protein
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Don’t consume alcohol
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No Vitamin C supplements
How to prevent it?
Prevention against kidney stones mostly involves dietary restrictions, lifestyle changes, and staying hydrated. However, certain preventive measures act differently for patients and so, it is important to consult your specialist doctor on how to prevent kidney stones.
Kidney stone prevention mostly aims to reduce certain risk factors that can increase the risk of kidney stones such as obesity, dehydration, etc. The urologist may also recommend certain preventive measures based on the composition of the stone to avoid recurrence in the future. This can help the urologist suggest specific preventive measures to avoid the recurrence of stones. Some of the measures that help in preventing kidney stones include the following –
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Staying hydrated
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Consuming less sodium
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Avoid calcium-rich supplements
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Consume less animal protein
PILES SPECIALISTS DOCTORS
Dr. ABCD
MBBS,
10 yrs of experience
Dr. ABCD
MBBS,
10 yrs of experience
Dr. ABCD
MBBS,
10 yrs of experience
Types of Kidney Stone Surgery
RIRS (Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery)
RIRS is an advanced procedure to treat kidney stones with sizes between 8mm to 15mm. First, the anesthesia doctor will administer either spinal or general anesthesia based on the choice of the patient for painless treatment. In spinal anesthesia, the patient is sedated below the waist, whereas, in general anesthesia, the patient is asleep throughout the surgery. The urologist then uses a thin, flexible endoscope fitted with a tiny laser on the other end. The location of stones is determined by the x-rays and imaging tests that guide the surgeon inside the patient’s body. The stones are either removed using forceps or subsequently broken into smaller fragments with tiny lasers. The stone pieces are then expelled from the body through urine.
The surgeon may insert ureteral stents through your urethra into the ureter. Stents enlarge the passage of the urinary tract for smooth movement of stones. Stents are usually kept for 10-14 days depending on how long it takes for stone fragments to fully flush out of the body. Stent removal can be done on the same day or during the subsequent visit to the surgeon. In the case of staghorn calculus(a type of kidney stone that resembles the horns of a stag), you may require two to three sittings to completely get rid of stones in the case of RIRS.
ESWL (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy)
ESWL is also known as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. It is a non-invasive surgery where the doctor uses external shock waves to break the kidney stone into smaller pieces. The patient is administered spinal anesthesia to reduce the pain when the stones are expelled from the body. ESWL is a conventional procedure that may require multiple sittings to break the stones completely.
URSL (Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy)
In URSL, the patient is administered spinal or general anesthesia. This ensures a painless experience throughout the surgery. The surgeon, then, uses a thin tube called a ureteroscope that is passed into the ureter with a camera and laser on the other end. The camera locates the stones while the laser subsequently breaks the stone into smaller fragments. These smaller pieces are flushed out through urine. The urologist inserts stents into the ureter to enlarge the ureter opening for smooth movement of stones. The stents are kept inside until the stones are thoroughly flushed out of the body.
PCNL (Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy)
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy is a minimally invasive surgery for treating kidney stones with a size greater than 15mm. It is also known as tunnel surgery due to the nature of tiny incisions. The anesthesiologist administers general anesthesia before the surgery to ensure a painless procedure. The patient will be asleep throughout the surgery. Then, the surgeon will make a minor incision (around 1cm) on the flank area (lower back area). The surgeon uses a nephroscope to locate and break the stones into pieces. The stone can be removed in its intact form or if the size of the stone is too large, it is broken into smaller pieces and flushed out.