Kidney Stones Treatment in Delhi, India

The deposition of salts and minerals inside the kidneys results in kidney stones. Other terms for kidney stones are renal calculi, urolithiasis, and nephrolithiasis. Kidney stone formation may be faster with a higher concentration of urine. The higher urine concentration causes the crystallisation of salts and minerals and the subsequent sticking together of these crystals to form kidney stones. Kidney stones are treatable with timely diagnosis and treatment. BLK-Max Hospital is one of the best kidney stones treatment hospitals in Delhi.

Types of Kidney Stones

• Calcium stones: These are the commonest among all types of kidney stones.
• Uric acid stone: Several conditions can lead to acidic urine. Uric acid stone formation occurs because uric acid crystals are not soluble in acidic urine.
• Struvite stones: Infection stone is another name for struvite stones. Struvite stones comprise ammonia, a waste product, and magnesium which is a mineral.
• Cystine stones: The occurrence of cystine stones is rare. It relates to the high concentration of cystine in the urine. The formation of these stones begins in early childhood. It is a hereditary and metabolic condition.

Kidney Stones Causes

Several causes can lead to the formation of kidney stones:

• Infections: Frequent infections of the urinary tract
• Low urine output: Consistently low urine volume can result in concentrated and darker urine that encourages the formation of kidney stones.
• Diet: Intake of foods that contain excess amount of calcium oxalate and uric acid

Kidney Stones Symptoms

Smaller kidney stones can pass easily through urine, causing no symptoms. The following signs and symptoms may be present if the stones get lodged in the ureters:

• Severe and intense pain below the ribs and in the back
• Pink or red-coloured urine
• The pain may be fluctuating in severity
• More frequent, painful, and burning urination
• Fever with chills suggesting an infection

Kidney Stones Diagnosis

Routine health exams or X-ray investigations may underline the presence of kidney stones causes that do not have any symptoms (silent kidney stones). The doctor may suspect a kidney stone if you are experiencing intense pain, discolouration of urine, and other symptoms.

Following are some diagnostic tests that help detect the presence of kidney stones in addition to a physical examination:

Blood Tests

To examine the presence of calcium or uric acid in the blood.

Urinalysis

The test will help detect blood in urine along with bacteria and the presence of minerals that are responsible for kidney stone formation.

Imaging tests

Abdominal X-ray KUB and USG Abdomen are standard imaging tests. Advanced imaging techniques like CT scans help detect smaller kidney stones that may not show on X-ray images and Ultrasound. Urologists are the medical specialists who diagnose and do kidney stone treatment.

Kidney Stones Treatment

Your doctor chooses an appropriate kidney stone treatment option by considering the size of the stone, severity of symptoms, and presence of infections.

Waiting for the Natural Passage of the Kidney Stones

Smaller stones that cause no infection and severe symptoms can pass through urine depending upon the patient's condition. Patients should come for regular follow up while on conservative kidney stone treatment as even small stones may require active intervention sometimes.

Medical Therapy of Kidney Stones

Besides antibiotics to treat infections that may occur because of kidney stones, Doctors may recommend medication therapy to improve the chances of stone removal. Some medicines from the alpha-blocker category relax the ureters and enable the stone to pass out spontaneously in some cases.

Active Intervention

Shock Wave Lithotripsy for Kidney Stones

Removal of stones may require breaking the stones into smaller pieces that can easily pass in the urine. The Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) disintegrates the large stones.

Surgical Treatment of Kidney Stones

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) - Surgical removal of significantly large stones is possible by using Percutaneous. Retrograde Intrarenal surgery (RIRS) - Retrograde Intrarenal surgery is another minimally invasive technique for kidney stones. It is done through natural urine passing with the help of flexible instruments and laser. Surgical removal of significantly large stones is possible by using Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy. It involves passing the nephroscope through a small incision in the back.

Risk Factors of Kidney Stones

• Drinking less water
• Family history
• Diets with high protein and sodium content
• Diseases of the digestive tract Medical conditions like cystinuria or hyperparathyroidism
• Medication and nutritional supplements Higher BMI or obesity
• History of specific metabolic diseases
• Recurrent infections of the urinary tract
• Lack of exercise or a sedentary lifestyle

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