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Pain in the lower abdomen is often ignored by some people, because it can disappear on its own. However, this condition sometimes brings other impacts such as pain when urinating, abdominal pain that does not go away. There is even an unpleasant odor and blood in the urine. It could be that you have a kidney stone problem, so how do we deal with it?
Kidney stone problem is a health problem that is often experienced by many people. This disease can have long-term effects if not treated immediately. Apart from blocking the flow of urine to be excreted, kidney stones can also cause kidney failure, which is a serious and life-threatening problem.
In dealing with kidney stones, usually treatments such as surgery or ureteroscopy can take quite a long time and the risk of complications is greater due to the invasive nature of the method, which makes many people afraid to treat kidney stones.
But with a breakthrough in the latest methods, Eka Hospital now presents kidney stone treatment with a non-invasive method, namely Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL).
What is the ESWL Method ?
ESWL action is a new method that utilizes shock waves in destroying kidney stones so that the action process can take place quickly and painlessly. The ESWL method allows you to treat kidney stone problems without having to go through surgery, and your body does not even need to be harmed at all. The crushed kidney stone fragments can then be excreted through the urine normally.
This is the only non-invasive kidney stone treatment method available today, which means it is also the most effective treatment available today.
Who Needs ESWL ?
However, this procedure cannot be performed on all patients. The doctor needs to look at the location, size, and type of kidney stones in your body. The ESWL method is 60-95% effective for kidney stones that are less than 2 cm in diameter and located in the bladder tract. The smaller the size of the kidney stone, the higher the effectiveness of the ESWL machine in crushing the stone.
There are also some conditions that your doctor may consider before determining whether you need ESWL treatment or not, including:
- No distal renal obstruction from the stone.
- The kidney stone has been causing continuous pain.
- Health of the patient.
Doctors may not recommend ESWL in patients with the following conditions:
- There are severe health complications from the kidney stone.
- The mother is pregnant.
- The kidney is not functioning properly.
- Distal kidney obstruction.
- Bladder tract infection.
- Patients with certain health conditions.
To check it all, the doctor will usually perform a physical examination as well as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs to confirm and identify the kidney stones in your body. This will also be useful for the doctor to perform the shockwave shooting process for more accurate results.
How is the ESWL Procedure Performed ?
Once you have finished checking your kidney stones and health condition, the doctor will immediately prepare for the ESWL procedure. You will be asked to change your clothes and put on a special garment. After that, you will be able to perform the ESWL procedure with the doctor.
Here are the stages of the procedure:
- The doctor will ask you to lie down on the bed. The doctor will then administer a series of anesthetics so that you will not feel any pain during the process.
- After the anesthesia works, the doctor will direct the ESWL device towards the location of the kidney stones that he has previously traced through an ultrasound or X-ray examination.
- The ESWL machine will then start to work and fire 1000 - 2000 shock waves, depending on the need to crush the kidney stones.
- After the procedure is complete, the doctor will rest the patient for post-procedure recovery.
What happens after the ESWL procedure is completed ?
After the ESWL procedure is complete you can go home immediately after resting for a while. However, you may feel some discomfort in the area around the shot, so the doctor will advise you to rest for 1 - 2 days at home, but in certain conditions, the doctor may recommend hospitalization to ensure there are no further symptoms.
Once at home, you will be advised to drink more water to induce urination. The urine that comes out after ESWL may be slightly uncomfortable and will have patches of stone fragments and blood, or even large stone fragments may come out if the stone is not broken completely.
Thank you for reading this article. Have a nice day.
