Kidney Stone Disease
Kidney stones are one of the most common problems for which a patient visits the Urology Clinic. The treatment for kidney stone includes medical therapy and surgery as well depending on the size of the stone, its location, its hardness (which is decide on a CT scan by Hounsefield units), the function of the kidney and various other factors which a Urologist will see. The traditional treatments have included PCNL (per-cutaneous nephrolithotomy), URS (Ureteroscopy) and ESWL (lithotripsy). The newest addition to the armamentarium is RIRS (Retrograde intra-renal surgery), which negates the use even of a key-hole like incision for KIDNEY STONES using laser and a flexible ureteroscope. Some procedures are explained below.
RIRS
RIRS stands for retrograde intrarenal surgery, which is a minimally invasive procedure used to remove kidney stones. It is performed using a flexible ureteroscope, a thin, flexible tube with a camera and small tools, which is inserted through the patient’s urethra and bladder and up into the kidney.
Once the ureteroscope is in place, the surgeon can use the small tools that include a laser (usually HOLMIUM) to locate and remove the kidney stones. In most cases, the stones may need to be broken up into smaller pieces using a laser before they can be removed.
RIRS is often recommended for patients with smaller kidney stones or stones that are located in hard-to-reach areas of the kidney. It is generally considered a safe and effective alternative to other treatments for kidney stones, such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) or percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Compared to PCNL the complications are very less.
The procedure may required to be staged i.e. in the first stage many a times only a DJ stent is inserted into the kidney so that the ureter may be able to easily accommodate the instruments – in easier terms it makes the road to the kidney more safe and easy. And later on after 10-14 days the procedure is carried out as the stent placed previously makes the job easier and safer. It is a world class procedure an is regularly carried out at Haldwani by Dr Siddharth Pandey at RAGHAV ADVANCED UROLOGY CARE.
Like any surgical procedure, RIRS carries some risks, such as bleeding and infection. However, because it is minimally invasive, recovery time is often shorter and less painful than with other procedures.
