DEFINITION- CAUSES
Kidney stones are hard deposits of salt and minerals that forms inside kidneys. They start small, but as minerals accumulate, crystallize and stick together, they grow bigger and start affecting the urinary tract.
They can also lead to a urinary infection– so surgical removal is opted by more and more people, as a safe way to treat them. There are different types of kidney stones: the most common are calcium and uric acid stones.
Kidney stones get stuck in the ureters, the tubes that connect the bladder with the kidneys. As a result, the blood flow of urine is affected, causing the kidneys to swell, resulting in sharp pain while urinating, but also in different parts of the body, like the groin, abdomen, lower back and the sides.
Additionally they bring an intense need to urinate often, a burning feeling during urination, and in some cases nausea, fever, and a painful sensation at the tip of the penis.
Different factors can cause minerals to accumulate and thus form kidney stones. Some of them include:
– Dehydration
– diet high in sodium (salty and processed foods)
– diet high in red meat
– excessive exercising
– obesity
– residing in hot and humid places
– Hyperthyroidism
– Type 2 Diabetes
forms of medication can also lead kidney stones to develop, like drugs treating HIV/ AIDS, and certain antibiotics.
SURGERY
Even if in some rare cases, small stones can be dissolved in a matter of days, by drinking lots of fluids and avoiding too much salt, a procedure will be required to treat larger stones. There are three types of treatment available;
the most common procedure, used to treat stones in the kidney and ureter. Shock waves are focused, then fired on the stone, which causes it to break into small pieces. These small pieces will then pass through the urine over the course of a few days or weeks, mostly painlessly. Shock waves are used for small to medium size stones
a thin, flexible tube with a camera, called a ureteroscope, is inserted through the urethra and bladder, and used to locate the stone. It can then be broken down to small pieces with a laser attached to the tube, or specialized tools chosen by the doctor. It is a procedure that does not require incisions to be made, and is most commonly performed under general anesthesia.
the procedure used to treat the largest types of kidney stones, or if the previous ones fail to break the stone. A thin tube, called nephroscope, is inserted through the skin to find and remove the kidney stone, or to break it down with a laser attached to the tool. General anesthesia will be administered.
In a few rare cases, where these 3 procedures fail to break down or remove kidney stones, the doctor may opt for an open surgery. General anesthesia is administered, and the doctor makes incisions on the side in order to reach the kidney, then locate the stone and remove it directly. The wound will be shut with dissolvable sutures, and the patient will have to remain in the clinic for 3-5 days. Full recovery will take 4 to 6 weeks.
RECOVERY
Recovery will depend on the type of surgery. For shock wave treatment, the patient may go home on the same day, and will be fully recovered after 2 to 3 days.
After Ureteroscopy, the patient can also go home on the day of the procedure, and the doctor may place a small tube, called a Sten, on the ureter, which will have to remain for a few days, in order to facilitate healing and reduce swelling. Full recovery should be expected in 2-3 days.
For Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy, the patient will have to remain in the clinic for 2 to 3 days afterwards, and recovery can take between 5-7 days.
Even though all these surgeries are nowadays routine procedures, some unwanted complications might arise, like:
– Bleeding
– a urinary tract infection
– injury to the ureter
– numbness
– sepsis (blood infection)
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