Kidney stones are hardened crystallised deposits that are formed when there is a high amount of minerals and salts.

You would require medical attention is necessary only when the stones start to move out of the kidneys* and into the urinary tract, during urination. This causes intense pain, which is usually treated by laser surgery (lithotripsy) or a surgical breaking of stones.

The size of the kidney stone helps your doctor understand which treatment is the best for you.

*The kidneys are responsible for forming urine, which also contains dissolved minerals and salts.  

Consult a doctor immediately, if you notice any of these symptoms:

• Pulsing or wave-like pain that fluctuates in intensity
• Pain in the lower abdomen, groin, sides and lower back (just below the ribs)
• Pain or a burning sensation during urination
• Less urine volume, but a frequent need to urinate
• Cloudy (unclear) or red-colored urine

Treatment is required, as kidney stones can block or move painfully through the ureter (the tube through which the urine travels from the kidneys to the urinary bladder).

If painful kidney stones that block the ureters are left untreated, the ureters and the kidneys may get inflamed, resulting in kidney damage and infection. Along with experiencing severe pain, you may also find blood in the urine as a result (hematuria).

Surgery would be the chief treatment that may be suggested, especially for large stones that block the ureters. 

To ensure your doctor gets a clear picture of your condition, in time, use medisync’s Kidney Stone Checklist while talking to your doctor

medisync’s Kidney Stone Checklist

• Make a note of your symptoms, especially if you notice blood in the urine or cloudy (unclear) urine. 

• Bring it to your doctor’s notice, where you feel the pain and how long you have been experiencing these symptoms

• Do not forget to mention all aspects related to urination, especially if you expel less urine and foul-smelling urine. 

• Mention all the medications you take on a regular basis, as certain medicines could put you at risk of kidney stones

If you have pain while urinating along with an intense, pulsating pain across your lower abdomen, groin and lower back, your doctor would first ask for an ultrasound and CT scan.

If your kidney stones are large and have blocked the ureters, your doctor would suggest surgery procedures to break the stones via a specialised surgery (called lithotripsy) or through other surgical methods (percutaneous nephrolithotomy or cystoscopic/ureteroscopic surgery).

Ultrasound/CT scan: Your doctor may suggest an ultrasound or a CT scan to understand the size of the stone and its location.
Diagnostic tests: A urinalysis (urine routine)may be requested along with a Complete Blood Count (CBC) test and a coagulation profile.

Lithotripsy (also called shock wave lithotripsy): This non-invasive procedure uses high-frequency shock waves to blast kidney stones into smaller pieces that could be passed through the urine.

Laser Lithotripsy (Nephrolithotripsy): Instead of shock-waves, this procedure uses laser (holomium) beams emitted through a ureteroscope to break large kidney stones. Laser lithotripsy does not require any surgical incision (cuts). 

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: If the kidney stone has not yet travelled through the urinary tract (ureters and bladder), this surgery is the best treatment option for kidney stones. A small incision is made on the back, through which a thin tube with a camera called nephroscope is sent to view the location of stone.

Your surgeon would then proceed to break the kidney stone using surgical instruments.

Cystoscopy/Ureteroscopy: If the kidney stone blocks the ureters, a ureteroscopic examination (with a viewing and surgical tube called ureteroscope) is done, after which surgery is conducted to break the stones.

A cystoscopy is done if the stone is lodged in the urinary bladder (using the viewing tube called cystoscope) to locate stones and break them into smaller fragments that can be expelled.

If the stones are large, your surgeon may add a stent in the urinary tract (called urological stent) to facilitate the exit of the stone fragments during urination.

medisync’s surgery checklist for kidney stone surgery has been compiled to help a faster recovery with the right safety measures.

Before surgery:

• Inform your doctor about the medications you consume. Your doctor may ask you to avoid some medicines the day before the surgery, as they may interfere with the operation or recovery.
• It is recommended that you have a friend or a family member to drive your home, after surgery.
• You would be asked to pass urine before the surgery
• You might have to stop eating or drinking a few hours before surgery
• Anesthesia would be administered before the procedure

After surgery:

• Your doctor would advise you to drink at least ½-1 liter of water under 2 hours to flush out the small fragments
• It’s normal to find blood in the urine and feel slight pain while urinating just after surgery. This should subside in 24 hours.
• Do consume the prescribed dosage of painkillers and antibiotics to ease pain and prevent infections.
• If your doctor has placed a urological stent, you may be asked to return after a few days for removal.

Avoid sleeping and sitting for long hours after your surgery. Try walking for short periods of time and drink plenty of water to recover faster and better.

Precautions to take after surgery

Kidney stone surgeries are safe and usually end with your complete recovery. However, there is always a risk for complications.

Watch out for these signs. If you notice any of these, consult your doctor immediately:

• Difficulties in urination
• Swelling, bleeding or redness near the incision (for percutaneous nephrolithotomy)
• Excessive blood in urine 
• Nausea and vomiting
• High fever, which might be a sign of infection

Kidney stones are becoming a common health problem in children due to the consumption of salty and processed foods, and drinking less water.