Kidney Stone Fragmentation (Lithotripsy)
Purpose of Kidney Stone Fragmentation
Kidney stone fragmentation is used to treat cases where stones are:
- Larger than 2 cm in diameter
- Large and formed due to infection (hard stones)
- Blocking the flow of urine from the kidney
- Not suitable for external shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)
Procedure
During kidney stone fragmentation, the surgeon makes a small incision in the back to remove stones from the kidney. A hollow tube is then inserted into the kidney, through which a viewing device is passed.
In percutaneous kidney stone removal, the doctor extracts the stones through this tube. The stones are first broken into smaller fragments and then removed through the tube.
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, sometimes local anesthesia, or spinal anesthesia. During the procedure and until full recovery, urine is drained from the kidney using a small tube (catheter).
Kidney stone fragmentation is highly effective, with a success rate of about 95%, and around 88% for stones located in the urethra.
Risks of Kidney Stone Fragmentation
- Bleeding
- Kidney perforation (usually heals without additional treatment)
- Injury to nearby organs such as the bladder or intestines
- Possible impact on normal kidney function
Despite its effectiveness, this procedure is technically complex.
In some cases, it may be necessary to push the stone back into the kidney using a small device called a urethroscope, so the surgeon can properly remove it.
This method is performed more frequently than external shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). However, it is important to remove all stone fragments to prevent them from growing again and forming new stones.