Kidney Stones Are Blown Up In Awake Patients With Non-Invasive Sound Wave Method
Photo 114969125 © Gigisomplak | Dreamstime.com
19 humans have tried a novel, non-invasive alternative to kidney stones removal surgery with great success. The procedure uses ultrasound waves instead of shockwaves, allowing patients to stay awake throughout the process.
The traditional method of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) sends shock waves to the stones, breaking them up into smaller pieces to pass through the body naturally. As it’s an evidently uncomfortable process, patients would either have to be sedated or anesthetized.
In contrast, the new burst wave lithotripsy (BWL) procedure shatters stones using short rhythmic bursts of ultrasound energy, as detailed in the Journal of Urology. The technique can be completed more efficiently and does not require sedation or anesthesia.
And since it’s non-surgical, treatment can be done in doctors’ offices using a handheld device.
According to Wolters Kluwer Health, as many as 15% of people will have kidney stones in their lifetime. Most of the time, stones can naturally exit the body, but larger ones would have to be surgically removed—a procedure that costs Americans US$10 billion a year.
BWL aims to be a cost-efficient, more hassle-free alternative to daunting operations. As indicated from the testing, it’s also highly effective, being able to blast large stones of ≤12 mm down to 2 mm or smaller.
Just like with the shockwave method, the sound wave-blasted fragments can leave the body through its natural passage, and no additional medical intervention is needed. Patients can expect to experience minimal to no tissue injury besides mild bleeding.
For now, the experiment has only been tested on a small group and will require research testing before being administered on a larger scale. If proven to be successful, it could “provide just-in-time treatment leading to a reduction of the overall pain, cost and resource burden associated with a stone event,” note the study’s researchers.
[via New Atlas and Newsweek, cover photo 114969125 © Gigisomplak | Dreamstime.com]
