Kidney Stones

Jun. 21

Written By Kyra

What are Kidney Stones?

Urine has waste chemicals dissolved in it. A kidney stone is a hard object made from those waste chemicals. When there is too much waste product in too little liquid, crystals start to form and bind together, creating a solid stone in the kidney.

Common Symptoms

Some kidney stones are as small as a grain of sand, others as large as a pebble. When a kidney stone causes irritation or blockage, it starts to hurt, and this pain can build rapidly to extreme pain. As a general rule, the larger the stone, the more noticeable the symptoms.

Symptoms could be one or more of the following:

severe pain on either side of your mid/lower back
blood in the urine
nausea and/or vomiting
fever and/or chills

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of kidney stones starts with a medical history, physical examination, and imaging tests. Your Urologist will want to know the exact size and shape of the kidney stones. This can be done with a CT scan or an Ultrasound.

Your Urologist will work with you to treat your stone. The health of your kidneys will be evaluated by blood tests and urine tests.

At a later date, investigations can be completed to determine the cause of the stone. The stone will be analyzed after it comes out of your body, and blood tests for calcium, phosphorus and uric acid. Collection of your urine for 24 hours might also be ordered to help with the investigation.

When to see a Doctor

In many cases, small kidney stones can pass on their own and don’t require any treatment.

If you’re able to manage your pain with over-the-counter medications and don’t have any signs of infection or severe symptoms like nausea or vomiting, you may not need treatment.

However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention:

blood in the urine
fever
chills
cloudy or foul-smelling urine
vomiting
severe pain in your back or side
pain or burning when you urinate
difficulty urinating

If you’re unable to see your doctor, you should go to the emergency room to receive treatment.

Treatment

The treatment for kidney stones is similar in children and adults. You may be asked to drink a lot of water. In most cases, kidney stones pass without causing damage, but they usually do cause a lot of pain. Pain relievers may be the only treatment needed for small stones. Urologists try to let the stone pass without surgery. But if the stone is too large, blocking the flow of urine, or if there is a sign of infection, surgery may be required.

Laser Stone Surgery

The surgery is minimally invasive and requires no incisions on your body. Once asleep, a small lighted instrument (ureteroscope) is placed into your urethra and bladder to access your ureter and kidney.

Once the stone is seen, the Urologist may use a high-powered laser with high-frequency emissions that shatter the stones into small fragments. Some pieces are removed through the urethra with a small basket, and smaller pieces can be passed later when you empty your bladder.

The Urologist will likely insert a tube called a stent between the kidney and the urethra. This promotes healing and lets small stone fragments pass more quickly. Most importantly, this stent allows your kidney to drain during the healing process. The stent is removed about 1-2 weeks after surgery. The length of surgery is generally under 1 hour, depending on the size and number of your kidney stones.