How do they laser kidney stones?

In this procedure, they pass a thin tube through the urine passage to reach the stone and break it with a laser fiber. Since I have a thyroid condition, my doctor insisted on a complete blood and hormone panel before putting me under anesthesia for this.

I am also reading about this because my uncle has been advised to get it done. Does the laser procedure hurt a lot when the anesthesia wears off? I am a bit scared for him, so any details would really help.

Actually, yaar, they call it RIRS or Ureteroscopy with laser. They insert a flexible scope up the natural tract, target the stone, and literally vaporize it with a Holmium laser. It sounds scary but you wake up with zero cuts.

I ignored my kidney stone pain for months thinking it was just gas, and it ended up damaging my kidney function slightly. Don't wait for things to get worse. Go get a sonography and ask a doctor if you need laser treatment to clear it.

Drinking lots of radish juice and water can help small stones of 2-3mm slip out naturally. But if the stone is big, laser treatment is the safest way to break it. Please consult a qualified urologist if you have severe side pain.

The laser method is great because the recovery time is just one or two days. It might cost a bit more than older surgeries, but you save money on long hospital stays and can get back to your job almost immediately.