Kidney Surgery Lasers

Kidney surgery for stones has evolved into more technologically and minimally invasive procedures. While green light laser surgery and Holmium laser enucleation are used to treat prostate symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), other surgical laser techniques are used for kidney stone treatment. One is laser lithotripsy, which is the use of medical lasers that break up the kidney stones into tiny pieces that can pass through the urinary tract.

Kidney surgery for stones with a surgical laser is conducted in a hospital as an outpatient procedure under anesthesia. Our urologists will perform a ureteroscopy by inserting a tool called a ureteroscope through the urethra and bladder and into the ureter. A powerful medical laser, such as the Holmium laser, is put through the ureteroscope to blast the stone. Our urologists will continue firing the laser until the stone is completely broken apart.

A YAG laser (yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser) is another type of medical laser. A Neodymium YAG laser provides a different amount of laser wavelengths and can be used in conjunction with a Holmium laser to offer the urologist the ability to use just the right amount of frequency needed to blast the kidney stone.  Both types of lasers are made with flexible fibers that can be inserted through a ureteroscope or laparoscopic instruments and target the kidney stone more accurately.

When a kidney stone is located in the kidney or upper urinary tract, doctors may use extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Shock waves generated through ultrasound from outside the body travel through the skin and body until they reach the stone and break it into pieces. The fragments then pass through the urinary tract easier. With any of these procedures, a thin tube called a stent may be placed between the kidney and bladder to allow the urine to flow easier. The stent is later removed at a follow-up office visit.

Kidney surgery for stones involving medical lasers can prevent large amounts of blood loss and scaring so the patient can recover faster. However, a patient may experience some side effects, such as blood in the urine, discomfort or minor bruising. Sometimes, the laser does not sufficiently break up the stone and other procedures have to be attempted. Our doctors at Urology Specialists will evaluate and monitor your urological needs before and after your kidney stone procedure. Dr Bianco and Dr Gheiler are both highly trained in all of these kidney stone surgery procedures. They tailor their treatment to each individual patient based on their condition and desires. They will use cutting edge techniques to relieve your symptoms and give suggestions to help you avoid kidney stones developing again in the future.