The kidneys are located in the abdomen on either side of the spine and they filter out waste from your blood and make urine. Kidney stones form in the kidneys from mineral deposits in the urine that are the result of a change in the ph balance of the urine. Calcium stones are the most common type and are the hardest to break down. Treatment for kidney stones depends on the size of the stones.
Small Stones
You might be advised to drink up to 3 litres of water throughout the day, every day, until the stones have cleared. You should avoid carbonated drinks and reduce your salt intake.
Your urine should be a pale colour, darker coloured urine can mean you are not drinking enough water.
You will be precribed antibiotics if infection is present and pain relief medications to feel more comfortable.
Large Stones
Kidney stones that are too large to be passed naturally are removed by surgery. The type of surgery will depend on the size and location of your stones.
Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL)
Shock wave lithotripsy is a procedure that uses high frequency sound waves break large kidney stones into smaller pieces so they can pass through the ureters into your bladder and passed out of your body via your urine.
SWL can be an uncomfortable form of treatment and light anesthesia may be administered before the procedure. It can cause bruising on the abdomen and back, and bleeding around the kidney and nearby organs. More than 1 session of SWL is usually needed to successfully treat your kidney stones.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a procedure carried out under general anaesthesia where stones are removed through a small incision in your back. This procedure may be performed in cases where the stone causes obstruction and infection, is damaging the kidneys, or when the stone has grown too large to pass and the pain can’t be managed
PCNL involves using a thin telescopic instrument called a nephroscope that is passed through an incision made in your back and into your kidney.
The stone is pulled out or it it may be broken into smaller pieces using laser energy.
Ureteroscopy
A ureteroscope may be used when a stone is stuck in the ureter or bladder, Ureteroscopy is carried out under general anesthesia and involves passing a long, thin telescope called a ureteroscope through the urethra and into your bladder. The stone may be removed or laser energy may be used to break it up into smaller pieces so it can be passed naturally in your urine. The stone is removed and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
