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KIDNEY STONES TREATMENT
Kidney Stones Treatment and Therapy:
Treatment
depends on the type and cause of stone. Most stones
can be treated without surgery. Most stones samller
that about 5 millimetres usually can out of the body
by drinking lots of water 2,5-3 L/day and staying
physically active. The doctor may prescribe you with
paracetamol or codeine to reduce the pain.
Stones that are
stuck can be removed in several ways:
ü
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
This is the most common method. To
break up the kidney stones into crystals small
enough to be passed in your urine.
ü
Ureteroscopic Stone Removal
It uses a small flexible instrument
called cystoscope passed into the ureter through the
bladder to snare the stone. The stone is captured
and removed, or broken up with a laser beam or shock
waves generated by a device attached at the end of
cystoscope.
ü
Percutaneous
Nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
The surgeon will remove the kidney
stone through a small incision at the back and uses
a telescopic instrument called nephroscope to pull
the stone out or break it up with shock waves or a
laser.
Medical therapy for each type of
kidney stone include:
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Calcium Oxalate Stones
>
Medical
therapy may involve use of hydro chlorothiazide to
reduce urinary calcium levels.
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Uric Acid Stones
>
Medical
treatment includes use of anti-gout medication
(ex. Allopurinol) and alkali therapy (ex.
Potassium citrate) to raise urinary pH. Increasing
oral intake of citrate (ex. Lemonade) may also be
useful.
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Cystine Stones > These generally
require medical therapy such as alkali (
potassium, citrate, lemonade) and cystine-binding
agents.
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Struvite Stones >
Antibiotic therapy is used.
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