Kidney Stone
Kidney Stone Treatment in Chennai
What is a Kidney Stone?
A kidney stone, the medical term Nephrolithiasis, is a solid concretion formed within the kidney or urinary tract from dissolved urinary minerals. A kidney stone may be as large as a golf ball or as small as a grain of sand, and they may be smooth or irregular, usually yellow or brown.
Symptoms of Kidney stone
The signs and symptoms of Kidney stone may include
- excruciating pain in the low back and/or side, groin, or abdomen
- nausea and vomiting
- bloody urine (hematuria)
- difficulty urinating
- urinary urgency
- Penile pain or testicular pain
- Fever and chills
Risk Factors:
- Family history of kidney stones
- Dehydration
- Being obese
- Certain diets
How is kidney stone diagnosed?
- In some cases, “silent” stones, called so because they don’t produce symptoms, are detected in X-rays taken during a routine health check. These stones go undetected or remain in the kidneys for years.
- A typical pattern of the symptoms of kidney stones causes the doctor to scan the patient’s urinary system using a particular x-ray test called an IVP (intravenous pyelogram) or a CAT scan.
- The doctor also takes resorts to blood and urine tests that have the potential to detect any bleeding as well as any abnormal substances that are responsible for stone formation.
What causes Kidney stones?
- One tends to form kidney stones when there is a decrease in their urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in their urine.
- There is no definite, single cause for the formation of a kidney stone. However, several medical conditions, including Gout, Hypercalciuria, diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension), can increase your risk of developing kidney stones.
Are All Kidney Stones Same?
No. There are four main types of Kidney Stones.
Calcium Stones
Calcium stones, generally in the form of calcium oxalate, are the most common because calcium forms an integral part of a healthy diet.
Struvite Stones
A struvite stone generally forms in response to an infection in the urinary system. These stones have the potential of growing fast and becoming quite large, sometimes without displaying any symptoms.
Uric Acid Stones
A uric acid stone may form when too much acid is in the urine. Those who don’t drink enough fluids, have a diet containing high proteins or have myeloproliferative disorders are susceptible to this type of stone.
Cystine Stones
These stones are rare and may form in those with a hereditary defect that causes the kidneys to eliminate too many amino acids.
What is the treatment?
If the kidney stone is small enough, it usually passes on its own. However, there are instances when the doctor uses other methods and surgery to make the rocks give and/or remove the stone. Generally, there are three methods to treat stones using surgery.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
In this method, the doctor sends high-energy shock waves directly to the kidney stone using a particular machine. The shock waves break large rocks into small pieces that pass through the urinary system with urine.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
This method is used while treating those stones that are resistant to lithotripsy. Here the doctor makes a small incision in the patient’s back and creates a narrow tunnel directly into the kidney. With a particular instrument inserted into the tunnel, the doctor can find and break up or remove the stone.
Ureteroscopic Stone Removal
A ureteroscope, a small fiber-optic instrument, resembles a long cable. The doctor inserts this cable through the urethra and bladder and up the ureter into the kidney. The ureteroscope contains a camera that allows the doctor to locate the stone and break up the stone into small pieces that are extracted, or the patient passes the small stone bits in the urine.
How Can I Prevent Future Kidney Stones?
It is often said that prevention is better than cure. If you had more than one kidney stone, you might develop another, and hence prevention is an absolute must. Your doctor must first discover what is causing them to prevent stones from forming. It is advisable to drink more fluids to prevent future kidney stones. If you are prone to developing stones, you should try to drink enough fluids to produce at least 2 liters of urine per day.
You may need to change your diet. The doctor may ask you to reduce your intake of certain foods with the high calcium content. If your urine is highly acidic, your doctor may ask you to eat less fish, meat and poultry products. In some cases, people will need medications to prevent stone formation.
Best Hospital for Kidney Stone Treatment in Chennai
care is the best hospital for kidney stone treatment in Chennai. We have a leading kidney stone specialist for Kidney stone laser treatment in Chennai. We are experienced doctors for kidney stone removal, and our doctors are experts in laser surgery for kidney stones in Chennai.
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