Although most kidney stones pass on their own, your doctor may decide that surgery is the best treatment if you have stones lodged in the ureters, the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder; large or particularly painful kidney stones; stones causing an obstruction of urine flow; or stones resulting in bleeding or infection.
our doctors also frequently treat people with more advanced kidney stone conditions, such as staghorn stones, which are large and can be caused by infection, and bilateral stones, which develop simultaneously in both kidneys or in the ureters.
Our surgeons perform hundreds of kidney stone surgeries each year, many of which involve minimally invasive techniques that do not require a hospital stay. In fact, traditional or “open” surgery, as it is commonly known, is now rarely performed for the treatment of kidney stones.
The goal in any kidney stone surgery is to treat all stones at once. However, some people with kidney stones require a staged treatment approach in which more than one surgery is needed to reduce or clear the stones.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a surgical procedure typically used to treat kidney stones that are larger than two centimeters, and may be in hard-to-reach locations in the kidney or ureters. In this procedure, a surgeon makes a small incision, most commonly in the back, creating a narrow tunnel directly to the kidney to break up and remove large or irregularly shaped stones. Larger stones may require additional surgeries in order to completely remove them.
A tube may be left in the kidney to allow the drainage of urine out of the body while you heal from surgery. Most people can go home the day after the procedure, and can expect to recuperate in two to four weeks.
Our doctors also perform the “mini-perc,” which is a less invasive version of percutaneous nephrolithotomy that results in a smaller incision and may reduce pain after surgery.