Kidney Stone Blast Procedure - What to Expect?

Here is a description of the procedure from the following kidney National Kidney and...........web site. I read thru the article and didn't see anything scary. I also thought it was educational about the procedures involved with diagnosing and treating kidney stones.

http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/stonesadults/...

"Shock wave lithotripsy. A machine called a lithotripter is used to crush the kidney stone. The procedure is performed by a urologist on an outpatient basis and anesthesia is used. In shock wave lithotripsy, the person lies on a table or, less commonly, in a tub of water above the lithotripter. The lithotripter generates shock waves that pass through the person’s body to break the kidney stone into smaller pieces to pass more readily through the urinary tract."

Here is a more complete description of the process by WebMD. Again, nothing scary. Doesn't talk about complications or anything too graphic.

http://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/extracorporeal-shock-w...

I had lithotripsy done about 1 1/2 years ago on a 1cm kidney stone that was wedged at the top of my ureter and I thought the procedure was easy. Compared to the pain of the stone trying to pass and the bladder spasms from the stent, the procedure was a piece of cake.

I went into the hospital with pain that I was 99% certain was a kidney stone. The pain eventually got so bad that morphine barely took the edge off of it. The next morning the doctor put a stent in to keep my ureter open, told me that I would go home in a few hours and the lithotripsy would be scheduled in the next couple of weeks while the stent dilated open. I didn't actually go home for 2 days because the stent caused my bladder to spasm so badly that I couldn't even sit comfortably. (I felt like I had to go to the bathroom constantly.) Eventually they figured out a combination of a muscle relaxer and percocet eased the spasms enough that I could sit comfortably. Walking was still a bit rough but on that combination of medicine, I was going home but not much further than that. And on the good side, the stent relieved the extreme pain and pressure from the kidney stone enough to be tolerable.

I went home and they were able to get me on the schedule for the lithotripsy 4 days later. On day of the procedure, I checked into the outpatient surgery center. They did the standard pre-op stuff. Just before they took me in for the procedure, they gave me something to put me out. The next thing I remember is waking up in post-op. Right away, I remember feeling the tremendous relief that the pain and pressure from the kidney stone was gone. I still had bladder spasms from the stent but it did ease up a little and I was able to gradually cut back on the muscle relaxer and percocet. A week later, the doctor removed the stent and the bladder spasms finally stopped.

I did have a small bruise about the size of a quarter on my back where they sent the shock waves through. And I remember feeling a little sore, but it wasn't bad at all. Compared to the discomfort I had been in for the previous week, it was nothing. And I was up and around better than I had been for 2 weeks.

my husband suffered with this one kideny stones for years. It would get stuck cause horrible pain, he'd be in the ER with morphine peeing blood and then it would dislodge and the pain would go away for a couple of months or years. We never knew when it would re-emerge. He needed spinal surgery a few years ago and a few weeks before the surgery date kidney stone started up (stress?). So he decided to go ahead & have the lithotripsy. It was the best thing he ever did. I dropped him off in the late morning, after I got the kids from school we went back and picked him up. That evening & the next day he passed the gravel and he went ahead with his spinal sugery a few days later not having to worry about that stone coming back while he was trying to recover.

There were no side effects, the procedure involved him lying down on a table with a gel or water filled pad under him. He relaxed in the recovery area for a while so they could monitor him and make sure nothing odd happened and that was it. Make sure the facility's machines are the newer models as I understand they work much better and focus right on the stone with less side effects. The older machines are more prone to produce side effects than the newer ones. Also from what I understand if the stone is near a bone like a rib it can cause some discomfort during the procedure.

My DH wished he had done it way earlier when the doc first suggested it.

I have had lithotripsy several times and two different ways. About 10 years ago I had my 3rd lithotripsy done at a Lithotriptic Center. The process there was to give me an epidural and happy drugs, lower me into a tank of water and hit my back with shock waves. For a few days I did feel like someone had punched me in the back.

In the past few years I've had another type of lithotripsy done (twice, I think). This time it was on a lithotripsy machine. I was given general anesthesia, and I felt absolutely fine afterwards. No soreness or anything!

With both types my doctor also inserted a stent. This was to make it easier for the remnants of the stones to pass more easily. I agree that the stent is no picnic. My doctor prescribed pain killers and something to prevent spasms because your body does not like having a foreign object inside it. The body will try to reject it. Take the drugs!!!

Each time the stent was removed, I felt instantly better ... except the last time. I went home and felt fine at first. Then I began having spasms. I laid in bed curled up in a ball. I pain felt very much like the stone did when it was first causing me pain ... but not nearly as intense. My husband was at work and the kids were at school. My husband called my doctor for me, and they told me that this does sometimes happen (spasms). They had me come back to the office and gave me a shot of Toradol. It's not a narcotic but relaxes everything. They also gave me a prescription for Toradol that I took for a few days afterward.

Bottom line, this procedure can be uncomfortable for a few days (soreness) and the stent is annoying, to say the least. But the whole thing is relatively painless, and the stent will be gone in about a week.

I noticed Amanda say to "have the doctor make sure they are small enough stones that he will easily pass them once broken." The doctor is going to do everything he/she can to make sure the stones are small enough. The problem with larger stones (I had one that was the size of my thumbnail. That's huge!) is that as they are broken apart, they break into small pieces like sand and it becomes more and more difficult for the doctor to see. This is why the doctor will take followup x-rays. As the teeny, tiny pieces pass it will become easier to see whether or not larger pieces remained. Unfortunately, you just have to wait and see. I once had to have lithotripsy a year later to get that one last piece that was too big to pass. Not my first choice, but what can you do.

It's not so bad, really. And he'll be so glad to have it over and done with.

I had it done after having kidney stones for most of my last pregnancy. It's not bad at all. I was fine the next day and was up to looking after my 3 kids including a newborn. DH will be just fine. :o)

My husband had this done. I urge your husband to have the doctor make sure they are small enough stones that he will easily pass them once broken. Is he having another stent? Is he having the procedure done because they are bothering him or just because they are moving?

I will be honest, my husband thought the shock wave surgery was worse than where they go in and break it up with a laser. His stones were very big, though. He has been kidney stone free for almost a year but he has to be VERY strict with his diet. He has a whole list to avoid and another that he is to limit his intake on. Mainly calcium rich foods.

Make sure your husband asks for pain medicine. He will need it even if he or his doctor thinks he won't. Also, I would make sure someone is home for at least 24 hours after the surgery to help him get to the bathroom and bring him anything he needs.

He will be okay. Just make sure he rests afterwards and doesn't try to over do it.

I have had that procedure done 3 times. It's not that bad and after a day he should be ok. He needs to have them test the stones to find out why he keeps making them. Mine is no saoda or tea. I am now just drinking water and lemonade. really water is the best.