Kidney Stones

Kidney stones don’t always require surgery. We’ll work closely with you to minimize their impact and educate you about preventative options. Small, pain-free kidney stones may be passed naturally with help from diet changes, medication, and guidance from your urologist. Larger kidney stones may require more intervention.

Medication

If you have recurring kidney stones despite dietary changes, your urologist may recommend medication. Common medicines include potassium citrate, which can alter the acidity of your urine to prevent stones from forming, and thiazide diuretics, which reduce the amount of calcium your kidneys release into the urine. Lifelong use of medications may be recommended to reduce kidney stone formation.

Shock Wave Lithotripsy

This outpatient procedure can treat kidney stones, depending on their size and location. A water-filled cushion is placed on your back, behind the location of your kidney stone. Shock waves pass through the skin to break the stone into smaller, dust-like pieces that pass out of the kidney in urine. You will be sedated for the length of the therapy, which can take up to 45 minutes. 

Ureteroscopy

During this outpatient procedure, your urologist will insert a small scope with a camera on its tip into your ureter or kidney to look for stones. A laser breaks the stones into small pieces, which are captured and removed. 

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Complicated Cases

When appropriate, kidney stones can be removed through several small incisions using robotic surgery or laparoscopically. These procedures are reserved for patients with complex kidney stones in locations that are difficult to reach with a scope. Our urologists helped develop these techniques, now considered the standard for surgical kidney stone removal. 

Large Kidney Stone Removal

Larger kidney stones -- about the size of a marble, or larger -- may require a procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy. During this inpatient surgery, your surgeon inserts a tube with a camera at the end through a small incision in your back. Your surgeon uses the camera to view the kidney stone. A special instrument delivers pulses to break up the kidney stone into smaller pieces, which are then captured and removed. The procedure typically requires an overnight hospital stay.