Effective methods to remove kidney stones without surgery

Kidney stones are a challenge for the surgeon due to its complexities and hence kidney stone removal without surgery assumes a useful medical area to be explored and practiced,

Kidney stones are one of the commonest urological conditions, with an incidence rate rising due to certain lifestyle changes.

These stones are formed when urine becomes highly concentrated and leads to minerals to crystallize and become harder which ultimately results in the formation of solid stones of varying sizes and hardness.

As stones are of varying size, shape, and location, hence they cause different symptoms as few may be symptomless.

Mostly they cause severe pain and discomfort and few may cause burning and infection with bleeding.

In the past, surgery was the only treatment option for removing kidney stones but today, with the advancements of new techniques, non-invasive or non-cut options such as lithotripsy and laser procedures are now used which fragment the stone into small fragments or dust and it is removed through the normal urinary passage and so it does not require any surgery or cut.

Lithotripsy: Most widely used worldwide for Non cut removal of stones.
Lithotripsy is a safe and non-invasive technique or procedure that uses shock waves or precisely sound waves to break up kidney stones into fine fragments.

During this procedure, the patient is made to lie on a special table and a device called a lithotripter is used to touch the patient's kidney region. Then it delivers focused sound waves also termed as high-energy shock waves to the kidney stone.

The shock waves are focused on the stone, and it causes opening or cavitations of the stone and breaks into smaller fine pieces that can be made to pass out or flow out of the body mixed in the urine.

The advantages of lithotripsy over surgery are manifold and numerous.
Firstly, it is a non-invasive procedure that does not require any cut or incisions, or general anesthesia. This is convenient to the patients as they can go home on the same day as the procedure and resume their normal activities within the next day.

Secondly, it is a highly effective procedure with an overall success rate of over 80%. Finally, it is a relatively painless procedure that makes the patient comfortable and active soon after the procedure.

Most smaller and soft stones up to 8 or 10 mm often are fragmented in the same sitting while bigger or harder ones need a few more or multiple sittings.

The patient is back to a normal routine after the session and can be active in between the sessions in case of multiple sittings.

There are few things to be kept in mind for a better success rate in this procedure.

Patient selection is to be done precisely as stones harder than the lithotripsy limit should not be taken.

They are better removed by laser as lasers fragment the hardest stone with ease and in a single session.

This hardness of the stone can be assessed by getting a CT scan.

However, there are some limitations to lithotripsy. firstly, it may not be suitable for all types of kidney stones patients.

For example, stones that are very large or located in a position within the urinary system where could be challenging to focus with soundwaves in lithotripsy.

Secondly, there are stones that are resistant to sound waves and do not disintegrate on soundwaves sitting.

There is also a risk of complications such as bleeding or infection, although these are rare. Finally, it may take several sessions of lithotripsy to completely remove the stone, which can be time-consuming.

Obese patients also do not respond well to lithotripsy due to poor penetration of sound inside the body.

Laser Procedures:
Laser procedures are yet another non-invasive treatment option for kidney stones. During this procedure, a small fiber-optic probe is inserted into the ureter, and a laser is used to break up the stone into smaller pieces that can be passed out of the body in the urine or removed alongside with the same scope.

The advantages of laser procedures over surgery are numerous. Firstly, it is a minimally invasive procedure that does not require any incisions or general anesthesia. This means that patients can usually go home on the same day as the procedure and resume their normal activities within a few days. Secondly, it is a highly effective procedure with a success rate of over 90%. Finally, it is a relatively painless procedure that does not require any post-operative pain management.

There are, however, some limitations to laser procedures. Firstly, it may not be suitable for all types of kidney stones in terms of size and a repeat procedure can still remove all the stone fragments.

For example, stones that are large more than 15 mm, or located in a difficult-to-reach area may require surgery. Secondly, there is a risk of complications such as bleeding or infection, although these are rare. Finally, it may take several sessions of laser procedures to completely remove the stone, which can be time-consuming.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, kidney stones can be a painful and debilitating condition, yet choosing the minimal invasive option can provide better non-painful relief using lithotripsy and laser.