Some people who are awake during kidney stone surgery may feel a bit of discomfort. However, they should not feel any pain. The surgeon will num the area where the stone is with a local anesthetic. Then, they will insert a ureteroscope through the urethra and up into the bladder. Once the stone is located, the surgeon will use a tool to break up the stone or will blast it with sound waves. The stone will then be removed piece by piece or all at once.
They may also put a small tube, called a stent, in the ureter to help keep it open for a little while. This helps keep the ureter from squeezing shut and helps make the kidney stone surgery recovery process go more smoothly.
Kidney Stone Surgery Recovery
In most cases, recovery from kidney stone surgery is very quick and easy. Most people are able to leave the hospital in just a few hours or the next day. The ureter will start to heal almost immediately – if not before the surgery even ends. Tissue around the stone is also very sensitive, and will begin to heal right away.
Some people may have trouble urinating right away after surgery, but most people have no problems urinating by the time they leave the hospital.
Kidney stones come in many shapes, sizes and compositions. If a stone is too large for a surgeon to remove with a ureteroscope, the stone may need to be removed through a different type of surgery.
There are many different ways that a surgeon can remove a kidney stone. The surgery will depend on the size and type of stone, and the physical condition of the patient.
It has long been thought that patients must be unconscious during procedures to remove kidney stones. Now, however, a new study has found that this is not the case. In fact, patients who are awake during the procedure report less pain and fewer complications.
The study, which was published in the journal Annals of Surgery, involved 100 patients who were undergoing a kidney stone procedure. Half of the patients were put under general anesthesia while the other half were given a local anesthetic.
The results showed that the patients who were awake during the procedure had less pain afterward and were less likely to experience complications. In addition, the awake patients were more likely to have the stones completely removed.
The study’s lead author, Dr. David Wartinger, said that the findings could have a “huge impact” on the way kidney stones are treated. He added that the procedure is usually very painful, so any way to make it more bearable for patients is welcome.
If you are scheduled for a kidney stone procedure, be sure to ask your doctor if you can be awake during the procedure. It may just be the best way to reduce your pain and increase your chances of a successful outcome.
