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Possible Complications
Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have this procedure, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
- Damage or irritation to tissue or surrounding structures
- Blood in the urine
- Infection
- Pain as the stone fragments pass
- Failure of stone fragments to pass, requiring additional surgery
- Need for more treatments
- Reaction to anesthesia
Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
- Bleeding disorders or taking medicines that reduce blood clotting
- Smoking
Call Your Doctor
After arriving home, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:
- Inability to urinate
- A lot of blood in your urine
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- Nausea and/or vomiting that you cannot control with the medicines you were given
- Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you were given
- Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
In case of an emergency, CALL 911.
Prior to Procedure
Your doctor may do the following:
- Physical exam
- Blood and urine tests
- Abdominal x-ray —a test that uses radiation to take a picture of structures inside the abdomen
- Intravenous pyelogram —an x-ray of the urinary system taken after the injection of contrast dye
- Spiral CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body
- MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the body
Talk to your doctor about your medicines. You may be asked to stop taking some medicines up to one week before the procedure, like:
- Aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs
- Blood thinners (eg, warfarin , clopidogrel )
Anesthesia
General anesthesia is used. You will be asleep during the procedure. You will not feel any pain.
Description of the Procedure
Your doctor will place a tiny flexible probe through your urethra and up the ureter toward the stone. The probe has two electrodes at the end. Imaging guidance, like ultrasound, will help the doctor locate the stone. Once the stone is located, the doctor will activate the device. An electrical spark will break the stone. A special basket or forceps may be used to grab the stone fragments and remove them. The stone fragments may be allowed to pass in the urine.
Depending on the size of the stone, more than one probe may be used. A stent may be placed in the ureter. This will help protect the lining while the fragments pass or damage is being repaired.
There may be fragments that are too large to pass after the procedure. These can be treated again with lithotripsy.
How Long Will It Take?
30-60 minutes depending on size and location of the stone
How Much Will It Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during the procedure. There may be some pain and discomfort afterward from the passage of broken stones. This can be managed with medicine.
Average Hospital Stay
This procedure is usually done in an outpatient setting. In most cases, there will be no hospital stay.
Post-procedure Care
At the Hospital
- You will be monitored as you recover from anesthesia.
- Pain medicine will be given.
- You may be asked to get up and walk around before leaving the hospital.
At Home
Follow your doctor's instructions, which may include:
- Drink plenty of water in the weeks after the procedure. This will help the stone pieces to pass.
- Resume daily activities within 1-2 days.
- You may experience some pain. Take pain medicine as directed to help manage any discomfort.
Lithotripsy is used to remove kidney stones that:
- Are too large to pass
- Cause constant pain
- Block the flow of urine
- Cause an ongoing infection
- Damage surrounding tissue
- Cause bleeding
This procedure can also be used to remove stones in the bile duct or the pancreatic duct.
Gallstones |
Electrohydraulic lithotripsy is one of many types of techniques used to break kidney stones or bile stones. The electrohydraulic device uses a flexible probe to deliver electricity.
Kidney Stone |
Prior to Procedure
Your doctor may do the following:
- Physical exam
- Blood and urine tests
- Abdominal x-ray —a test that uses radiation to take a picture of structures inside the abdomen
- Intravenous pyelogram —an x-ray of the urinary system taken after the injection of contrast dye
- Spiral CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body
- MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the body
Talk to your doctor about your medicines. You may be asked to stop taking some medicines up to one week before the procedure, like:
- [Aspirin][5] or other anti-inflammatory drugs
- Blood thinners (eg, [warfarin][6] , [clopidogrel][7] )
Anesthesia
General anesthesia is used. You will be asleep during the procedure. You will not feel any pain.
Description of the Procedure
Your doctor will place a tiny flexible probe through your urethra and up the ureter toward the stone. The probe has two electrodes at the end. Imaging guidance, like ultrasound, will help the doctor locate the stone. Once the stone is located, the doctor will activate the device. An electrical spark will break the stone. A special basket or forceps may be used to grab the stone fragments and remove them. The stone fragments may be allowed to pass in the urine.
Depending on the size of the stone, more than one probe may be used. A stent may be placed in the ureter. This will help protect the lining while the fragments pass or damage is being repaired.
There may be fragments that are too large to pass after the procedure. These can be treated again with lithotripsy.
How Long Will It Take?
30-60 minutes depending on size and location of the stone
How Much Will It Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during the procedure. There may be some pain and discomfort afterward from the passage of broken stones. This can be managed with medicine.
Average Hospital Stay
This procedure is usually done in an outpatient setting. In most cases, there will be no hospital stay.
Post-procedure Care
At the Hospital
- You will be monitored as you recover from anesthesia.
- Pain medicine will be given.
- You may be asked to get up and walk around before leaving the hospital.
At Home
Follow your doctor's instructions, which may include:
- Drink plenty of water in the weeks after the procedure. This will help the stone pieces to pass.
- Resume daily activities within 1-2 days.
- You may experience some pain. Take pain medicine as directed to help manage any discomfort.
RESOURCES:
American Urological Association
http://www.auanet.org/
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Urological Association
http://www.cua.org/
Kidney Foundation of Canada
http://www.kidney.ca/
References:
Lingeman J, Matlaga B, Evan A. Surgical management of upper urinary tract calculi/electrohydraulic lithotripsy. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 44.
McKoy K. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for kidney stones. EBSCO Patient Education Reference Center website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=15topicID=81 . Updated November 11, 2009. Accessed August 10, 2010.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Kidney stones in adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/stonesadults/ . Updated October 2007. Accessed August 10, 2010.
Electrohydraulic lithotripsy is one of many types of techniques used to break kidney stones or bile stones. The electrohydraulic device uses a flexible probe to deliver electricity.
Kidney Stone |
Prior to Procedure
Your doctor may do the following:
- Physical exam
- Blood and urine tests
- Abdominal x-ray —a test that uses radiation to take a picture of structures inside the abdomen
- Intravenous pyelogram —an x-ray of the urinary system taken after the injection of contrast dye
- Spiral CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the body
- MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the body
Talk to your doctor about your medicines. You may be asked to stop taking some medicines up to one week before the procedure, like:
- Aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs
- Blood thinners (eg, warfarin , clopidogrel )
Anesthesia
General anesthesia is used. You will be asleep during the procedure. You will not feel any pain.
Description of the Procedure
Your doctor will place a tiny flexible probe through your urethra and up the ureter toward the stone. The probe has two electrodes at the end. Imaging guidance, like ultrasound, will help the doctor locate the stone. Once the stone is located, the doctor will activate the device. An electrical spark will break the stone. A special basket or forceps may be used to grab the stone fragments and remove them. The stone fragments may be allowed to pass in the urine.
Depending on the size of the stone, more than one probe may be used. A stent may be placed in the ureter. This will help protect the lining while the fragments pass or damage is being repaired.
There may be fragments that are too large to pass after the procedure. These can be treated again with lithotripsy.
How Long Will It Take?
30-60 minutes depending on size and location of the stone
How Much Will It Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during the procedure. There may be some pain and discomfort afterward from the passage of broken stones. This can be managed with medicine.
Average Hospital Stay
This procedure is usually done in an outpatient setting. In most cases, there will be no hospital stay.
Post-procedure Care
At the Hospital
- You will be monitored as you recover from anesthesia.
- Pain medicine will be given.
- You may be asked to get up and walk around before leaving the hospital.
At Home
Follow your doctor's instructions, which may include:
- Drink plenty of water in the weeks after the procedure. This will help the stone pieces to pass.
- Resume daily activities within 1-2 days.
- You may experience some pain. Take pain medicine as directed to help manage any discomfort.
