Most small kidney stones may not require invasive treatment. Kidney stones that are larger or too large to pass on their own or causing other symptoms such as bleeding or pain or affecting the function of the kidney, recurring infections typically require more extensive and invasive treatment. The first type of treatment typically considered is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. ESWL, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy uses sound waves to create strong vibrations that break the stones into tiny pieces that then can be passed in your urine. That procedure lasts about 45 to 60 minutes. It can cause moderate pain so commonly patients are sedated.

The next type of treatment which is much more invasive for typically much larger stones involves percutaneous nephrolithotomy. That is the surgical removal of the stone using small scopes and instruments that are inserted through a small incision in your back into the kidney. That is done under general anesthetic with the patient laying face down on the operating table and typically requires a hospital stay overnight or sometimes up to a day or two. Your doctor may recommend this surgery if ESWL was unsuccessful or other treatments have been unsuccessful.

Another type of treatment typically for a little bit smaller stones is ureteroscopy. This involves passing a ureteroscope equipped with a camera through your urethra and bladder up into the ureter tube and sometimes then up into the kidney. Special instruments are used to snare the stone or break it into pieces using a laser and those can be retrieved and some of the smaller fragments then passing out in the urine. Commonly, we may leave a stent in the ureter which is a small tube that passes from the kidney all the way down into the bladder. It’s like a small pigtail that allows urine to pass through it and around it and may help to pass small fragments or smaller pieces of the stone. The stent is placed to run between the bladder and the kidney at times if there’s an underlying infection and that allows the infection to be treated, the kidney to be drained and then we can return to manage the stone at a later date once any acute infection is resolved. The stents also may be useful because they allow the ureter tube to gently dilate and making other subsequent procedures easier.

At Northwoods Urology, we understand the importance of healthy kidneys. Visit our website for more tips about kidney health. If you suffer from kidney stones and would like a professional approach, contact our office for an appointment.