The kidneys are the part of the body that produces urine. Normally all the minerals that make up urine are diluted and pass without a worry. However, sometimes these minerals can harden and become crystallized, forming a stone-like formation within the kidneys. These objects are known as kidney stones, or renal lithiasis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Research and Education, 2009).

Treatment

Most kidney stones, despite causing excruciating pain, can be passed on their own without the need for medical treatment other than a pain reliever. However, some types of kidney stones and large stones may not pass on their own. If this is the case, additional medical treatment is needed to rid the body of the stone. Laser treatment is one type of minimally invasive treatment that can help remove kidney stones. There are two types of laser treatment that can be used: percutaneous nephrolithotomy or ureteroscopic stone removal (Mayo Clinic, 2009).

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is used to remove large kidney stones and is performed by a urologist under general anesthesia. You are required to lay on your stomach while a small incision is made in your back. The surgeon then threads a scope known as a nephroscope through the incision and into the kidney. Once inside the kidney, the surgeon threads a laser through the scope and proceeds to use the laser to break apart the stones and then extract them (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2009).

This type of laser treatment is normally solely reserved and recommended to those whose stones are too large for any other type of procedure to be effective. This type of treatment has a 95 percent rate of success at ridding the body of a pesky kidney stone without the increased risk that another will form in its place (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2009).

Ureteroscopic Stone Removal

Ureteroscopic kidney stone treatment is also performed with a laser. It is performed using the same method as the previous procedure, only the surgeon enters the body through a different region. For instance, instead of entering the body through a small incision in the back, the surgeon will enter by inserting a scope through the ureters and into the kidneys. Once there, a laser is inserted through the scope. The laser is then used to blow apart the stone and remove the debris (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2009).

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