Laser surgical procedures are a boon to many different fields of science-skincare, ophthalmology, neurology, nephrology, cardiology and even osteology. Kidney stones, forming due to accumulations of different salts in the kidney, can cause harm and affect the functioning of the kidney. It may even block the flow of urine if it gets stuck in the bladder or the urethra.
Though proper diet changes and medications are effective in treating most kidney stones, sometimes, when the stones are too large, extra therapies may be needed. Laser treatment for kidney stones is new development, and is an effective replacement for the usual surgery conducted in most cases. The most common form of laser treatment used is called laser lithotripsy technique. How laser treatment works in treating kidney stones is described below.
Pre-Op Procedures
The laser treatment first requires a correct diagnosis, proper assessment and location of the kidney stone, its size and its composition for correct evaluation. The patient will then be required to put under general anesthesia.
The Surgery
A tiny camera is inserted into the urethra, passed through the bladder and to the ureter. This tiny camera is used to locate the position of the kidney stone and is known as the uteroscope. A small laser is then set alongside the uteroscope, which fires in a continuous stream and is targeted over the surface of the kidney stone, which thus breaks it into very tiny fragments.
Though the laser beam is high energy, it doesn’t damage the kidney tissue due to its specificity. The uteroscope is then pulled back and the fragments of the kidney stone pass out through urine.
Post-Op Procedures
Laser surgeries are popular due to minimal recovery time. The patient is usually discharged on the same day itself.
Complications Associated With The Procedure
Though there are not many complications associated with laser surgeries, sometimes, there may be certain risks and reactions. There may be excessive bleeding in the bladder and the uterus after the surgery, which may not be dangerous for all patients, except those who suffer from blood clotting ailments.
Though this procedure is mostly carried out in sterile conditions, there is a risk of infection, just as in any other surgery.It may also cause development of internal scars, and may affect and cause difficulty in urination.
Benefits Of Laser Surgery Over Other Surgeries
Laser surgery, being non invasive, has a significantly less risk of blood loss and infections than in other surgeries. Also, the recovery time associated with laser surgery is much less compared to normal surgical procedures.
Often, you do not need to take medications post laser surgery, whereas you would need to be very regular in medications in normal surgeries. Bed rest is of utmost importance in normal surgeries. Lastly, laser surgery is less time consuming than a regular surgery and has a much larger success rate than conservative methods of treating kidney stones.
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