Treatment of Kidney Stones

 

Specific treatment for kidney stones will be determined by your physician based on:

  • Your age, overall health, and medical history
  • Extent of the disease
  • Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
  • Expectations for the course of the disease
  • Your opinion or preference

Some kidney stones pass out of the body without any intervention by a physician. In cases that cause lasting symptoms or other complications, kidney stones may be treated with various techniques, including the following:

  • Shock waves or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)-use of a machine to send shock waves directly to the kidney stone to break a large stone into smaller stones that will pass through the urinary system. There are two types of shock wave machines: with one machine, the patient sits in a tub of water, with the other, the patient lies on a table.
  • Ureteroscope-a long wire with a camera attached to it is inserted it into the patient's urethra and passed up through the bladder to the ureter where the stone is located. A cage is used to obtain the stone and remove it.
  • Tunnel surgery (also called percutaneous nephrolithotomy)-a small cut is made in the patient's back and a narrow tunnel is made through the skin to the stone inside the kidney. The physician can remove the stone through this tunnel.
Latest Kidney Stones News
Kidney stones tied to higher diabetes risk

October 27, 2011 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who've suffered bouts of kidney stones may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on, new research suggests.

Report links kidney stones and gallstones

October 14, 2011 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who have had a kidney stone seem to have a heightened risk of gallstones -- and vice versa, according to a new study.

Supplement users often get ample minerals in diet

October 6, 2011 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who take dietary supplements to boost their intake of minerals tend also to get more nutrients from their food than those who don't take supplements, according to a new study that suggests vitamins are often taken by the people who need them least.

Select news items provided by Reuters Health