What is Nephrolithotomy?
Nephrolithotomy is a surgical procedure used to remove kidney stones. This procedure is chosen when the stone is too large and causes blockages in the urinary tract and cannot be removed using simpler, less invasive procedures.
How is the procedure performed?
Nephrolithotomy is performed under general anesthesia. The side of your body (flank) is cleaned and shaved prior to making an incision. A 10 to 15 cm incision is made to expose your kidney. The exact position of the stone in the kidney is detected by your surgeon with the help of X-ray imaging. The stone is removed and a nephrostomy (a drain tube) is placed into the kidney and stitched in place, after which the incision is closed with the help of sutures. This nephrostomy tube is connected to a drainage bag which helps to drain urine, stone fragments or blood from the kidney. The surgery takes approximately 2 to 4 hours. After the surgery, you will be transferred to a room where you will be monitored. You may have to stay in the hospital for 2 to 4 days after the surgery.
What risks and complications are involved?
Like most surgeries, nephrolithotomy involves the risk of bleeding and infection at the site of the incision. Since the kidney has a very high amount of blood supply, there are risks of excessive bleeding due to which a need for blood transfusion during the surgery may arise. As the kidney is located just below the lungs, there is a slight chance of puncturing a lung during the surgery. If there are large numbers of stones in the kidney, your surgeon may have to perform multiple surgeries to remove all the stones.
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