What is urology?
Urology in medical science deals with urinary tract surgery and treatment for men and women, and men’s reproductive organs, but does not interfere with women’s genitals and reproductive system. A doctor who specializes in urology is called a urologist.
When to see a urologist?
Male genital diseases and infertility in men, such as:
Congenital and acquired testicular diseases such as torsion and cryptorchidism, testicular tumors, various causes of male infertility, impotence, and more.
All surgical diseases of kidney, ureter, bladder, urinary tract in women, men and children, including: Stones, infections, space-occupying lesions such as tumors and cysts, congenital anomalies such as stenosis and reflux, prostate diseases, and urinary tract injuries
– Urinary irritants such as urination pain, frequent urination, abnormally-colored urine, urination pattern change, urinary incontinence
This ward’s services include specialized patient visits (outpatient and inpatient), surgery, dialysis, and stone crushing.
Shafa Hospital Stone-Crushing Services
TUL Intra-Limb Crushing
Intra-limb crushing requires no incision and the surgeon inserts the ureteroscope into the bladder and cuts the stone into smaller pieces with laser. This method’s greatest advantage is the removal of stone obstruction in the middle and lower ureters, and it is done in the operating room under general or spinal anesthesia.
Laparoscopic-assisted percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
Laparoscopy is kidney stone crushing and removal through an incision in the patient’s side. Large and horned stones, stones that do not respond to intra-limb crushing, and stones that block the urethra to renal pelvis are good candidates for laparoscopy. This procedure is performed under general anesthesia.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
In extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, the stone’s position in the urinary tract is determined through ultrasound or X-ray and the lithotripsy waves are focused. The stone is then crushed into small pieces and excreted through urine. This method is outpatient, without anesthesia and medication.
Preparations for ESWL
Castor oil in a 60-g glass at 8 pm after dinner.
Six dimethicone tablets chewed from 8 pm every half an hour.
Two to four bisacodyl tablets before dinner and two to four after dinner
Soup at 7 pm and no other food.
It is forbidden to consume milk, legumes, vegetables, and flatulence-inducing foods the day before the crusher.
Do not have breakfast on the day of lithotripsy.
If you have a history of heart disease or take certain medications, the relevant specialist’s consent is required.
Note that painkillers are used during the lithotripsy to ease pain.
