2 cm Kidney Stone Advanced Treatment - Removal in 30 Min

Diagnosis

To locate the kidney stone and obtain clarity on its size, doctors thoroughly diagnose the condition. Another purpose of carrying out a proper diagnosis is to look for underlying conditions that may be causing the condition or may impact treatment. Some standard diagnostic tests performed before kidney stones treatment include: 

• Blood Tests: Blood tests are performed to check for calcium and uric acid levels in the blood. They help in monitoring the patients’ kidney health and also help them rule out other medical conditions that may cause complications. 
• Urine Test: The purpose of doing a urine test for kidney stones is to check if the patient is excreting stone-forming minerals in large quantities and stone-preventing substances in low quantities. The patient may be asked to submit the urine twice over two consecutive days. 
• Imaging Test: Imaging tests for kidney stones involve high-speed or dual-energy CT scans or simple abdominal X-rays. The aim is to get images of kidney stones in the urinary tract. 
• Ultrasound: Ultrasound is a non-invasive test that is quick and easy to perform and is another imaging test to diagnose kidney stones and determine their size and location. 
• Analyzing Passed Stones: If the doctor suspects stones, they may ask the patient to urinate through a strainer to catch the stones. The collected stones are then sent to the lab to check their composition. This helps the doctors determine the reason for kidney stone formation. 

Treatment 

After conducting a thorough diagnosis, the doctors chalk out a suitable treatment plan. The treatment is based on the stone’s size and location and the patient’s overall health condition. Listed below are some common treatment procedures for kidney stones. 

Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery or RIRS

This is an advanced surgery for kidney stones that offers effective treatment for stones of various sizes. The patient is sedated with general anesthesia. Then, the surgeon uses a thin and flexible endoscope with a tiny laser on end to break the stones into smaller pieces. Or in some cases, the stones are removed with the help of forceps. Then, the doctor allows the fragmented pieces to pass naturally through the urine. 

In some cases, the surgeon might insert stents through the urethra to enlarge the passage of the urinary tract, allowing stones to pass easily. In some cases, the stents are kept for 10 to 14 days. However, in other cases, the stent is removed on the same day.  

ESWL (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy)

In this non-invasive procedure, the patient is sedated with spinal anesthesia, and shockwaves are given from outside the body to break kidney stones into fragments or stone dust. This procedure generally involves multiple sessions. The broken fragments are allowed to pass through the urine. 

URSL (Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy)

URSL, or Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy, is a safe and effective surgery for 2 cm kidney stones in which the surgeon uses a ureteroscope and passes it into the ureter with a camera and laser on end. The camera helps in locating the stone, and the laser is used to break the stone into small pieces. When the pieces become small, they pass through urine easily. In some cases, urologists use a stent to increase the opening of the ureter.

PCNL (Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy)

This is another minimally-invasive surgery for kidney stones which is considered a viable treatment for removing large kidney stones. This surgery is also performed under anesthesia, and the patient is sedated throughout. The surgeon makes a minor incision on the lower back or flank area and inserts a nephroscope. This scope helps doctors locate and break the stone into smaller pieces that flush out the system later. In some cases, the stone is removed in its intact form.