How long should I stay for Kidney Stone Surgery?
How is surgery performed?
What is the post-surgical care?
What are the possible risks and complications?
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How long should I stay for Kidney Stone Surgery?
You should stay approximately 10 days to complete a whole process. On your arrival day, you should stay in your hotel to relax from a long flight and have a surgery on the following day. Normally, Kidney Stone surgery will require 5-7 nights stay in the hospital. Post operative check up will be done 7 days after the surgery.
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How is surgery performed?
Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is the most frequently used. In ESWL, shock waves travel to the kidney and hit the stones and break them down to sand-like particles that pass through the urinary tract.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy also known as tunnel surgery, used for large kidney stones or for kidney stones that are in a location that does not allow ESWL. Surgeon makes a tiny incision in the back that creates a tunnel directly into the kidney, then using an instrument called a nephroscope to remove the stone.
Ureteroscopy: surgeon will pass an ureteroscope through the urethra and bladder into the ureter. The surgeon will then locate the stone and either remove it with a cage-like device or shatter it with a special instrument that produces a form of shock wave. A small tube or stent may be left in the ureter for a few days to help the lining of the ureter heal.
Major Surgery.
People with hyperparathyroidism which develop calcium stones will usually need to remove the parathyroid glands (located in the neck). The removal of the glands will get rid of hyperparathyroidism and kidney stones.
Which procedure to be performed depends on patient’s condition and doctor’s decision.
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What is the post-surgical care?
For ESWL, recovery time is short, and most people can resume normal activities in a few days.
For Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy, most people are able to return to work within a few weeks.
For ureteroscopy, often, the urine will appear red because there will be blood present. This is normal and should not raise alarm. Antibiotics will commonly be given after the procedure. At some point after the procedure, either a plain X-ray or X-rays with contrast (IVU) may be requested. This is used to determine if the stone is still present or not.
For major surgery, it can be painful and requires a recovery time of four to six weeks.
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What are the possible risks and complications?
Complication for ESWL is blood in urine, bruising, minor discomfort in back or abdomen.
For Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy, complications include infection, bleeding, urinary fistulas and perforations of adjacent organs.
For uteroscopy, complications are urine infection, bleeding, damage to the ureter resulting in narrowing of the ureter or perforation but this is rare.
Just like other surgeries, open surgery may have a problem with bleeding and infection.