Kidney stones may require surgical removal if they do not pass naturally, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. For relatively small stones in the lower urinary tract, the surgeon may choose ureteroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure also known as a basket extraction. Larger stones may require percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a procedure performed through a small opening in the kidney, or open surgery through an incision in the flank. The aftereffects depend on the type of procedure performed.
Pain
Flank discomfort occurs after any type of kidney stone extraction. The least invasive procedure, ureteroscopy, causes the least pain and patients experience relief from oral painkillers. Open surgery, on the other hand, requires a large incision and manipulation of nearby tissues, so patients typically need stronger pain medication by injection or intravenously for a few days while they are in the hospital, according to Urology Health.
Infection
Infection may occur after any surgical procedure but rarely after ureteroscopy, the least invasive of the kidney extraction surgeries, according to Urology Health. The more invasive treatments, including percutaneous nephrolithotomy and open surgery, carry a higher risk of infection. Surgeons routinely order antibiotics to help prevent infection. Patients may have low-grade fevers for the first 48 hours after surgery but a higher fever may indicate an active infection.
Organ or Tissue Damage
Surgical procedures may cause damage to nearby organs and tissues. Ureteroscopy may cause a tear in the ureter, the tube that drains urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. If so, the surgeon places a stent or narrow tube in the ureter to allow it to heal and removes it two to three weeks later, according to Urology Health. Rarely, damage to the lung, blood vessels or bowel may occur during a percutaneous nephrolithotomy
Varying Recovery Times
Recovery time varies according to the invasiveness of the procedure. Ureteroscopy patients go home the same day and return to their normal activities within two or three days, according to Urology Health. After percutaneous nephrolithotomy, patients stay in the hospital for one night and may involve additional X-ray studies to ensure that no stone fragments remain. Normal activity can be resumed after approximately one to two weeks. After open surgery, the most invasive procedure, patients stay in the hospital for five to seven days and may not return to their usual activities for six weeks.
Recurrence
Kidney stones can recur after extraction procedures. In fact, as many as 50 percent of patients have a recurrence within five years of an extraction. However, up to 95 percent of patients with recurrent kidney stones have metabolic conditions that can be treated, according to Dr. Mary K. Samplaski, lead researcher in a study reported in the October 2009 issue of the "Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine." Most patients respond well to dietary changes but 15 percent also require medications to reduce the risk of recurrent kidney stones.
