Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy is ideally suggested in the following conditions,

• Large kidney stones are known as staghorn kidney stones, they block more than one branch of the kidney collecting system

• The size of the kidney stones is greater than 0.8 inches in diameter

• Ureter having large stones

• Other treatments or therapies have failed

Before undergoing Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy surgery your doctor will conduct many tests. 

This includes urine and blood tests, CT scan to determine the signs of infection, and the location of the kidney stones.

The complete procedure will take around one to several hours. It depends on the severity of the condition. 

There are various advantages of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy surgery. These include,

• This surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that is effective in eliminating the large complicated kidney stones that require smaller incisions and shorter hospital stays. 

• Your hospital stay will be two to four days only. Besides, recovery time is significantly lesser than open surgical approaches or procedures.

• You will be able to resume your work quickly.

When compared with the traditional approaches there are no such disadvantages of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

Advancement in techniques and types of equipment has made this surgery type to be the safest and effective in treating kidney stones.

Certain things that you can expect after your Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy surgery are,

A temporary catheter will be placed in your kidney. This is generally a nephrostomy tube that helps drain the urine from the kidney as well as a urethral catheter to drain urine from the bladder. 

These catheters are eliminated before you get discharged from the hospital. Your hospital stay will be approximately two to four days.

• Generally, for a week your urine will be blood-stained.

• To assess the clearance of kidney stone, an imaging test is performed immediately after the surgery completion. 

• In rare cases, follow-ups are required to clear the remaining stones by performing flexible laser and pyeloscopy.

Kidney stones are of various types depending upon its composition. Examining them after the passage or surgery of the kidney stones will help to determine the cause and prevent its recurrence. Oxalate stones and uric acid ones arise from an excess of protein whereas uric acid stones arise due to hereditary condition.

Yes, kidney stones are very common in children as young as 5 years old. The main cause may be drinking less amount of water and eating a diet high in Sodium(salt)-such as junk foods like potato chips, french fries etc. Parents must encourage eating calcium-rich foods and taking adequate amounts of water per day (1.5 litres) as a preventive measure.

The most common way to avoid kidney stones is associated with our diet. Drinking an adequate amount of fluids and eating stone causing food (for example calcium oxalate-rich foods that cause calcium oxalate kidney stones) in moderation are the first line of defence. Other measures include taking special care and addressing any underlying risk factors associated with stones (for example hyperparathyroidism, obesity etc.).

If symptoms appear to be minor at first and not treated by a proper medical professional, it may lead to haematuria (blood in urine) and severe renal colic pain. At a later stage, it may lead to infection, kidney damage, and chronic kidney disease. Hence, prompt treatment is necessary for detection.

Yes, Kidney stones are as common in pregnant women as in the non-pregnant women.

Having foods that are rich in salt, sugar and animal protein may lead to an increased risk with some type of kidney stones. High doses of vitamin D could also lead to kidney stones.

Kidney stones can be of different types. Re-examination is done to ensure that the stones do not recur by determining their cause.

Yes, kidney stones are common in kids as young as 5 years old. It is due to less water consumption and sodium-rich diet (such as junk food).

Minor symptoms not treated can cause blood in urine and severe renal colic pain. Later, it can lead to infection, kidney damage and chronic kidney disease.

Yes, they’re common in both pregnant and non-pregnant women.

People in their 20s and 30s commonly suffer from kidney stones these days.

Food that is rich in calcium, low in sodium and that includes fluids and juices.

Spinach, tomatoes, guava, beetroot and sweet potatoes being high on oxalate content need to be avoided.

No, beer instead promotes formation of kidney stones and can even lead to heartburn.