Kidney Stone Removal

Kidney stone removal is a term used to describe procedures used to remove renal calculi or kidney stones from a kidney. Kidney stones are small concretions of crystals formed when urine contains too much dietary minerals such as calcium or uric acid.

Often kidney stones pass through the body unnoticed, but when they grow to a large enough size they can cause blockages in the kidney, ureter or bladder causing symptoms including pain in the belly, sides or back, abnormal urine color, blood in urine (hematuria), fever and vomiting. If kidney stones are suspected, the doctor may prescribe tests such as urinalysis to check the urine or kidney imaging procedures such as abdominal CT scans, abdominal ultrasound or intravenous pyelogram (IVP). Once kidney stones are diagnosed treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms and the cause of stone. Treatment includes drugs to decrease stone formation and break down the stone or surgical procedures (invasive and non-invasive).

Procedures commonly used to remove kidney stones include extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and laser lithotripsy.

Kidney stone removal procedures are usually performed by urology doctors or nephrologists (kidney doctors).