Kidney Stones
It’s estimated that ten percent of Americans will develop a kidney stone in their lifetime. Kidney stones are comprised of tiny crystals. These solid masses that may form one at a time or several may form all at once, causing pain in the kidney or ureter.
While the causes are not fully known, diet, environment, geographic location, and family history may play a part in the formation of kidney stones. They also develop more in men between the ages of 20 and 50. While is it estimated that about 85 percent of stones can safely pass, most people are not willing to wait due to pain and discomfort.
Typically, the kidneys filter and clean the blood, removing waste through urine. This urine passes from the two kidneys through tubes (ureters) to the bladder. In some cases, often due to a high mineral salt concentration, small crystals can form. In many instances, the stones are small enough to pass through and be eliminated without any pain. In other cases, they are too large to pass through the tubes and become lodged, producing significant pain, nausea, vomiting, blood in the urine and fever/chills. If this happens, you need an intervention to ensure that you do not sustain damage to your kidneys.
When you suffer from kidney stones, you want expertly trained physicians, backed by a top-notch support team performing surgery. At WakeMed, our goal is to provide you with the very best in urologic care. We're proud to offer some of the most advanced, minimally invasive treatments available, giving you peace of mind that you've chosen the best quality urologic care in the Triangle.
Our team of board-certified and fellowship-trained urologists can evaluate, treat and prevent kidney stone disease. In some cases, information is needed. At WakeMed, urologists are committed to using state-of-the-art technology to improve minimally-invasive and endoscopic kidney stone treatments. The cornerstone of our program is the prevention of recurrent stones; however, when you need an intervention, we stand ready to help you. Before treatment is recommended, the urologist will determine which is best based on the size, number and composition of the stones.