What is Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy?

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a treatment used to remove kidney stones from the body. This method is often advised in the following situations:

  • Larger or irregularly shaped stones
  • Stones that do not pass 
  • Stones that have not been broken up by ureteroscopy or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy
  • Stones greater than 2 cm in size

The procedure takes between 20 and 45 minutes to complete. The aim is to take out all the stones from the area and leave nothing to pass through the urinary tract.

What are the risks associated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy?

Even minimally invasive surgery, such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy, has the risk of:

  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • The surgery leaves an opening in the kidney, which normally closes on its own.
  • A procedure on the abdomen may provide a minor chance of injury to neighboring organs such as the colon, ureter, liver, or bladder.
  • These minor side effects will fade when the inflammation subsides.

What tests are carried out prior to surgery?

Urine and blood testing to see whether there are any additional illnesses or issues. 

A CT scan is used to pinpoint the precise location of the stones in the kidney.

How is the procedure performed?

A general anesthetic will be administered to the patient. The surgeon will make a tiny incision in the back and insert a catheter into the kidney via the bladder. With the help of an X-ray imaging, he will make a puncture in the kidney and will place a sheath into the kidney, and break it into small pieces using a special instrument to remove the stones. The kidney is left with a drainage catheter to drain the urine until the region heals. The incision is either stitched or stapled, and it is bandaged.

What is post-procedural care?

Following the surgery, the patient is monitored for blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. The patient will be administered medication throughout his or her hospital stay.

  • Pain relief medications
  • Antibiotics for infection prevention
  • Compression stockings are used to avoid blood clots.
  • An X-ray is performed to see if any stone pieces remain.
  • The drainage tube is removed 48 hours after the surgery.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

The following are the benefits of this surgery:

  • It is the most effective method for ensuring that a patient is stone-free.
  • Because it is one of the most challenging procedures, it is less invasive than a complete open surgery to treat kidney stones.
Are you worried about your Kidney Stones treatment? Get the most advanced treatment from Dr. Amit Doshi, the best Urologist in Vadodara.

Also read: Things to Avoid If You Want a Healthy Kidney

Thanks for reading!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ovarian cysts and Laparoscopic Treatment

Things to Avoid If You Want a Healthy Kidney.