[haylee_beutler]

I just recently found out i have a 22 mm stone in my right kidney. I am terrified. I have an appointment with my urologist in a few days to discuss the possibility of lithotripsy. I have read a lot about lithotripsy and in many cases, people have to have this done multiple time and still have to go through the pain of passing the stones. I am terrified that my stone is just too large to break down and im wondering if lithotripsy is even a good idea in this case? Chances are that my stone was caused from infections. I dont know if that makes a difference with out hard or soft it is.

-Haylee-

[raychokarakolov]

Dear Beutler

First try the lithotripsy method - hopefully it will solve the problem with this large stone. Take care about minimization of the risk of the urinary ways infections through the prescribed drugs by the urologist.
Good luck.
RK

[haylee_beutler]

I've done some research on "lithotripsy" but there is not much information about it. The hospital i will be going to has an older lithotripsy machine. (your actually in water) How is the lithotripsy done and what does this intail.
-Haylee-

[lioness]

I have had lithotripsy twice. You can have it either wet or dry. Your stone is usually seen on fluoroscopy so they know the location of where to shock the stone so they can do their best to make a direct hit. You are placed on a table with a water cushion under neath you and its up to your uro if it is wet or dry, depending on the stone if it is "soft" or like a "brick". No treatment is guaranteed to go "by the book", and your uro will do the most less invasive treatment, possible.

My stones were 1-3cm taken out in the flank two years ago, and they were all infectious, still keep having infections, which is why I keep having to have urological intervention. I have another treatment scheduled for 10/24 which will be ureteroscopy w/lasertripsy, bilaterally. My stones never pass and never will, no matter how much water I drink. You might have to have uretal or urethral stents after lithotripsy so the fragments can "magically" pass. I have had them out the back only.

I was lucky to have a good surgeon who did my first surgery, who specialized in taking them out in the flank, however, he has left to start his own practice. There arent a lot of uros trained in taking them out in the flank, since this kind of surgery is rare. I am not your run of the mill stone patient.

I now have a good urologist who actually agrees with me my stones will never pass.

Good luck to you, I hope this helps you. Talk to your urologist about other forms of treatment. Dont let your uro talk you into treatment you're not comfortable with. I have learned many things in two years about being a stone patient.

[haylee_beutler]

Just wanted to add to my post .... I went to my specialist today and I will be scheduled for a PCNL treatment "perc surgery" next week. They will make an incision in my pack and insert a tube and a tool that will break down the stone, then they will suction out the pieces.
Maybe finally this will all be over.

[lioness]

Let me know how this turns out for you. I hope it goes well. You might have to have ESWL with it for the residual fragments and then you're supposed to pass them yourself, something that I didnt know after my PCNL surgery in 2006. My stones were all "staghorn" what they call the infectious stones, struvite, calcium, magnesium, phosphate with hydroxylapatite) stones. I still keep getting UTI's and I have been on and off anti-biotics so long that I am on my last antibiotic with this bacteria I keep getting. . so I may be on IV antibiotics lont term very shortly. It's been the longest two years of my life and I know there are stone formers since childhood. I am trying to be optimistic.

Good luck to you. I hope this helps you. I dont know if your uro told you that ESWL might have to be done in urology they call this the "sandwhich technique" combination of PCNL and ESWL. Not a doctor, but read it in a book.

[urbanj]

I'm curious to know where you are going to go for thr PCNL. I'm in the Chicago area and wondering what's the best hospital for a PCN. I have heard, John Hopkins on the east coast, St. Joseph in St. Paul, and Mayo Clinic in Minn. and AZ. are excellent.

[haylee_beutler]

Hi again, Unfortunately, i am located in the western u.s. in utah so i have a limited choice of where i can go for my PCNL. I have heard many great things about St. Johns hospital though. They do a lot of research for kidney problems and stones. Their doctors are very well educated and they preform many PCNL treatments every year. They will also take their time and make sure they get every fragment they possibly can so you do not have to go for any additional treatments. You can find a video of this treatment here http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3074702555849672891 or go to www.google.com then type in percutaneous neprholithotomy and a few differen t videos will pop up. I saw my uro today and they scheduled me for my PCNL on Nov. 6th. I know how they preform the treatment but i dont know a lot of the details (lengh, hospital stay time, recovery time, pain, ect.) Do you know any answers to my questions.
--Haylee--

[urbanj]

I have seen a video on u-tube that was done at St. joseph. The operation was done in 2005 so hopefully things have improved for our sake. It was a 1" dia stone and took one hour to complete. The Doctor mentioned a five hour ordeal when there were multiple stones. The stay in the hospital is usually overnite to watch for bleeding and a drainage tube is left in overnite. After three days of soreness regular activity should start in two weeks. This is all info that I have gotten from various web sites. These are all called average times probably expected when good results are acheived. My question is how much is the average $ cost from the cat-scan to going home without that ugly stone??

My Best Wishes for a Speedy Recovery,

[haylee_beutler]

Well i have been through a lot in the last few weeks. My bill is racking up pretty quickly. I haven't been able to find out what the cost of the actually procedure was anywhere on the internet. I did find an article written to compare the cost of PCNL with Multiply lithotripsy cost and it was like 20,000 - 30,000. (But i think this was more than one treatment...... unsure) This is everything i have had.
1 Xray
3 Urine Samples
2 Urine Cultures
1 Ultra Sound
1 KUB xray
1 CT scan
2 General physician visit
1 Urologist visit
1 Urologist visit (different urologist)
As you can see my bill is getting high. But hopefully all i will have left is the procedure and the follow up appointment.