kidney stones are one of the common painful and disruptive conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. While some of the stones, which are smaller in size, might naturally pass through the urinary tract through some interventions, others require specific medical procedures, and even surgeries. It is a common question among people: What is the size of kidney stones that require surgery? However, the answer to this question is not as simple as it seems to be. Whether the stones need surgery or not depends on a lot of factors other than size, including the location, the complications and symptoms, and whether the stones are causing problems like infections or blockage. Apart from the size, other factors, including pain and discomfort, recurring urinary tract infections, impact on kidney function, or a stone that has been stuck for too long, are the deciding aspects as to whether a patient needs surgery or not. The good news for the patients of kidney stones is that with the advancements in modern medicine and technology, it is now completely possible and easy to treat and manage kidney stones, both by surgical and non-surgical interventions. Advances in healthcare technology have led to the rise of many treatment options that are minimally invasive and highly effective. These include ureteroscopy, shockwave lithotripsy, and Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS), which are highly popular for kidney stones treatment. In this article, we will discuss in detail about Kidney stones, what size of them requires surgery, and what the best treatment options are.
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are solid crystals that form in the kidneys of a person. These are made of components like minerals, acids, and salts. Their size can vary greatly, and they can be anywhere from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. It is important to understand that not all kidney stones cause significant symptoms. So much so that a person might have kidney stones and not even know about it. While the kidney stones, which are smaller in size, can pass through the urinary tract on themselves without causing many symptoms, the larger ones might get stuck in the ureter. This can cause the urine to back up in the kidneys, as a result, it can compromise the ability of the kidneys to filter the waste out of the body. It can take a time of around three weeks for the small stones to pass out of the body. Even the smallest of kidney stones can cause extreme pain as they pass through the urinary tract.
What are the symptoms of kidney stones?
One of the most common symptoms of kidney stones is pain in the lower back or the sides. The pain can also be different in intensity for different people. It can either be a dull pain in some cases or a severe one in others. Other symptoms of kidney stones include:
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Painful urination
- Blood stains in urine
- Inability to pass urine easily
- Frequent urination or bathroom trips
- Cloudy or bad-smelling urine
- Fever or chills
The urine of a person contains components like minerals, acids, and other substances, including uric acid, calcium, sodium, and oxalate. When there is a high concentration of these components in the urine and the water content is less, they can stick together and form crystals, which grow bigger with time. Kidney stones can be formed over a period of a few months or years.
What size of kidney stones requires kidney stone surgery?
Based on the size of the kidney stones, it can be decided whether they need kidney stone surgery or not. Generally, kidney stones smaller than 4mm pass on their own, while those larger than 6mm or 10mm require medical interventions.
- Smaller stones around the size of under 4-5mm generally pass on their own without causing many symptoms.
- Medium Stones are considered to be the ones around the size of 6-10mm, and can pass naturally. However, they might also need certain interventions like ureteroscopy or ESWL to help in their passage.
- Larger stones are the ones that are greater than 10mm in size. These are less likely to be passed naturally and require certain medical interventions like the most latest and reputed RIRS technique – a minimally invasive procedure that reaches the kidney from the ureter by using an endoscope along with laser beam to fragment and remove the kidney stone.
Even if a stone is smaller in size, but is causing significant symptoms including pain, blockage, restricted urine flow, or infection, it might require kidney stone removal surgery. Also, stones located in the kidney might require very different approaches to treatment as compared to those located in the ureter. Hence, the size of the stones is not the only factor that is to be considered. In case of kidney stones, it is of utmost importance for a patient to consult a kidney stone specialist to get the best advice and personalized treatment plan according to their specific case.
If you are looking for the best kidney stone specialist near me or the best hospital for kidney stone treatment, Sohana Hospital might be the right option for you. Sohana Hospital Mohali provides the collaboration of the world’s most advanced cutting-edge technology and North India’s most trusted and renowned Kidney Stones specialists, which provides the most comprehensive and holistic treatment for all the kidney-related issues of the patients. Book your appointment today and take the first step towards a more comfortable and healthy future.