Over 500,000 people seek medical care at an emergency room each year for problems related to kidney stones, according to health professionals with the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. A kidney stone is a solidified mass formed of crystallized chemicals from a person's urine. Though surgery is typically unnecessary, people who have a large kidney stone that can't pass through the urinary tract or blocks the normal flow of urine out of the body may require this form of treatment. Patients should discuss kidney stone surgery risks with a medical professional before undergoing this procedure.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy
The most common form of kidney stone surgery is a procedure called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ESWL. This technique involves the application of shock waves to the external region of a patient's body. The shock waves pass through the skin and internal organs and shatter the dense kidney stone into smaller pieces. In a study published in the February 2006 issue of the journal "European Urology," Dr. Andreas Skolarikos and colleagues report that the primary complications after ESWL relate to kidney stone fragments, infection and effects on surrounding tissues. The small kidney stone fragments created by ESWL can become stuck within the urinary tract and may result in pain or blood within a patient's urine. Certain patients may develop bruising or tenderness along the skin at the site of shock wave application. Kidney tissue damage during ESWL can also elevate a patient's risk of experiencing unusually high blood pressure or heart rate abnormalities. Skolarikos and colleagues explain that when the kidney stone shatters, bacteria within the stone can be released into a patient's urine or bloodstream. Consequently, patients are at risk of developing a urinary tract infection, bacteriuria or bacteremia. Without prompt antibiotic treatment, these risks of ESWL kidney stone surgery can be life threatening.
Urteroscopic Kidney Stone Removal
Urteroscopic kidney stone removal involves insertion of a ureteroscope through the urinary tract into the ureter, a thin tube that carries urine from a kidney to the bladder. The ureteroscope grabs hold of a kidney stone, which can either be shattered or removed from the body. Risks associated with ureteroscopic stone removal include blood within the urine, infection and blood clots, report health professionals with Drugs.com. Kidney infection symptoms can be life threatening if affected patients do not receive immediate treatment. During surgery, the ureteroscope can inadvertently damage a patient's ureter. If this occurs, scar tissue can form within the ureter, which can interfere with a patient's ability to voluntarily urinate.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a surgical procedure in which a nephroscope is inserted into a small incision within a patient's back. A surgeon uses the nephroscope to find and remove the kidney stone. The primary risks associated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy include infection, blood loss or tissue or organ damage, report medical experts with Johns Hopkins Medicine. Symptoms of infection following surgery can include fever, increased urination or pain. Damage to surrounding tissues during percutaneous nephrolithotomy can increase a patient's risk of requiring additional surgery to address these complications. Rarely, a surgeon may be unable to completely remove the kidney stone. In such instances, additional surgical treatment may be necessary.
References
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Kidney Stones in Adults
- "European Urology;" Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy...Complications and Their Prevention; Dr. Andreas Skolarikos, et. al.; February 2006
- Drugs.com: Ureteroscopic Kidney Stone Removal
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy - Risks and Complications
