Research Discovers New Techniques in Kidney Stones Treatment

Researchers unveiled new techniques for treating kidney stones. The study employs the use of two ultrasound technologies to remove.

The National Kidney Foundation explained that over half a million individuals report to emergency rooms for stones in the kidney, noting that one in ten individuals may have kidney stones, showing risks of 9% for women and 11% for males. In the United States, the report revealed that kidney stones prevalence from 2013 to 2014 was recorded at 10%

The Kidney Foundation said kidney stones refer to hard objects made from urine chemicals, in which crystals form as there is too much waste. It added common causes of kidney stones, including blood in the urine, severe lower back pain, and foul-smelling urine. People with kidney stones feel hurt and in extreme pain. If you feel the symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor.

Common treatments for kidney stones are shockwave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, and ureteroscopy.

However, recent research showed a new technique for kidney stones combining two ultrasound technologies. The study said that the technique, using ultrasound, is employed to break up, reposition and move the kidney stones in the body even if the kidney stone patient is awake.

The study was published in The Journal of Urology and is available to read in ScienceDaily.

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According to the study, the new technique can remove from the ureter with no anesthesia and with minimal pain.

The lead author, Dr. M. Kennedy Hall, explained that they hoped clinics or emergency rooms could perform new technology procedures for kidney stones, noting that the process is nearly painless. At the same time, it can be achieved even if the patient is awake, unlike other procedures requiring sedation. Hall is also a UW Medicine emergency medicine doctor.

Hall added that the stones in the ureter could result in severe paints for the patients. It is considered common for visits to the emergency department.

Procedure

(Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Halls looked into the technique and how to treat kidney stones, even without surgery. Based on the study, the researchers employed handheld transducers directing the new technology or ultrasound waves on the kidney stones.

Ultrasound propulsion is called to move and reposition the stone to help in promoting passage.
Burst wave lithotripsy (BWL) is a techniqu used to break up the stones.

Study findings

According to Dr. Hall, the study was conducted to observe the treatment for awake and unanaesthetized patients, which they used the techniques of ultrasonic propulsion or Burst wave lithotripsy.

Based on the study, 29 patients participated in the research, with 16 treated with propulsion and the rest (13) treated with both propulsion and burst wave lithotripsy. In conclusion, the researchers found that 19 cases showed that the stones moved, while two cases showed the kidney stones moved out of the ureter and into the bladder.

The study revealed that the BWL managed to fragment the kidney stones in 7 patients' cases.
18 of 21 patients revealed that their kidney stones in the lower ureter (and closer to the bladder) passed their stones.

The study noted that they would conduct a clinical trial with a control group that did not receive BWL bursts or ultrasound propulsion to figure out which technique helps in the kidney stones passage.