LASER TREATMENT OF KIDNEY STONE is a procedure to break apart kidney stones in the urinary tract. It is done with a scope that can be passed into the tubes of the urinary tract. Incisions are not needed. The presence of Kidney Stones in the human body can cause immense pain and discomfort. It becomes essential to get rid of the stones so that the normal activities of life continue uninterrupted. There are different procedures to get rid of the stones. If the stone is larger and cannot dispose while urination and gets stuck in the urinary tract, then surgery becomes the obvious choice.
Shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is a popular choice for the management of small- to medium-sized kidney stones, and is generally performed as an outpatient procedure with the patient under general anesthesia.
SWL works by focusing intense sound waves on the stone, causing the stone to shatter while minimizing the effect on surrounding tissue. The small pieces of stone then wash out of the kidney with normal urine flow, usually with little or no discomfort. SWL is highly effective at treating most stones in the kidney and ureter.
- Excellent success rate for most small- to medium-sized stones
- Outpatient procedure
- Minimal postoperative discomfort
- No incisions or invasive procedures
- Easy and fast scheduling
Kidney stones can become trapped anywhere in the urinary tract, including the kidney and the ureter. The ureter is a tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder. If a stone gets stuck in the ureter it can cause a blockage and the back-up of urine into the kidney. They can also be quite painful and can become infected.
Laser lithotripsy is used to break apart the kidney stone so that it can pass through the ureter. The pieces will either be removed by the surgeon using a special basket or left in place where they will move from the ureter to the bladder, then out of the body with the urine.
Laser lithotripsy may be chosen if other non-surgical treatments have failed or if kidney stones are: –
- Too large to pass;
- Irregular in shape; and
- Causing bleeding or damage to surrounding tissue
