Lithotripsy for stones: What to Expect

What is lithotripsy?

It is common to develop stones in the kidneys, gallbladder, or ureter. Sometimes stones are small enough to leave your body during urination without a person noticing. Large stones, however, could cause pain and block the flow of urine. The use of lithotripter machine In kidney stones removal.

If stones do not pass, they can damage the kidneys and urinary tract. When medications do not help, a lithotripsy procedure can break the stones down into small pieces to allow them to pass out in the urine.

The two types of lithotripsy are extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and laser lithotripsy.

Laser lithotripsy may also be abbreviated as FURSL (flexible ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy) because doctors make use of a tool called an ureteroscope.

Both procedures might help eliminate bothersome stones quickly and effectively. The type of treatment a physician recommends is determined by a selection of factors, such as for example the sort of stones and the individual's overall health.

ESWL

ESWL uses shock waves to breakdown stones. During this procedure, a surgeon will use a machine called a lithotripter to aim sound waves directly at the stones through the body.

The sound waves breakdown the stones into small pieces. The waves only affect stones and will not harm muscle, bone, or skin.

The task takes about 1 hour and often takes place in a hospital. In most cases, an individual can go home exactly the same day.

After the therapy, an individual should pass the stone particles over several days or weeks through urination.

FURSL

This procedure involves having an endoscope to deal with stones in the ureter. An endoscope is really a flexible tube with a light and camera that helps a health care provider see in a organ or body cavity.

The physician could see the stones utilising the endoscope and uses a laser to break them down. The task takes about 30 minutes, and a lot of people can go home exactly the same day.

The broken stone fragments should pass easily through urine in the days and weeks after the procedure.

What to expect

Once in the process room, a doctor will place an intravenous (IV) line in a person's arm to administer anesthesia and provide pain medication.

For ESWL, the individual will lie up for grabs with the lithotripter positioned to focus on the located area of the stones.

A doctor will pass a water-filled cushion between the body and lithotripter machine to conduct the shockwaves properly.

The shock waves are not painful. A doctor might also place a stent in the ureter to simply help the broken stones pass.

For FURSL, a doctor will insert a ureter scope in to the bladder and up in to the ureter and kidney if necessary. They'll make use of a laser to break up any stones they see.