Lithotripsy for Kidney Stones: Am I a Candidate?

Around 10% of Americans get kidney stones — hard mineral deposits that develop from crystal-forming minerals. These stones range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a ping-pong ball. They can trigger unpleasant symptoms when passing through your urinary system, including:

• Severe flank or abdominal pain
• Blood in the urine
• Cloudy urine
• Foul-smelling urine
• Nausea or vomiting

Our board-certified providers at Urological Associates in Charlottesville, Virginia, specialize in diagnosing and treating painful kidney stones. For large kidney stones, our team may recommend an innovative treatment called lithotripsy. 

The procedure breaks apart large kidney stones into smaller pieces that can safely pass through your urinary tract and out of your body through your urine. Here’s a closer look at lithotripsy and how to tell if you’re a candidate for this kidney stone treatment.

Understanding lithotripsy

Lithotripsy is a noninvasive treatment that uses ultrasonic energy (shock waves) to break up large kidney stones too big to pass through your urinary system. Before beginning lithotripsy, our team uses X-ray imaging to locate your stones. 

When the treatment ends, you’re left with smaller kidney stones that can safely pass through your urinary tract, preventing the need for more invasive therapies. Depending on your needs, our team may recommend a different type of lithotripsy, including: 

• Ultrasonic lithotripsy using a probe that emits high-frequency sound waves
• Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) using electrical shock waves under general anesthesia
• Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) using pressure waves under light sedation or mild anesthesia 

Depending on the size of your kidney stone, multiple lithotripsy sessions may be required. 

Candidacy for lithotripsy

The best way to learn if you’re a candidate for lithotripsy is by scheduling an appointment with our kidney stone specialists. At Urological Associates, we evaluate your medical history, lifestyle, and family history, as well as your personal history of kidney stones to determine the best treatment. 

Generally, lithotripsy is best for people with stones too large to pass without help (typically larger than 5 millimeters or about the size of a pencil eraser).

However, you may also be a candidate if your kidney stone(s):

• Are extremely painful
• Block the flow of urine
• Cause bleeding or kidney damage
• Cause urinary tract infection(s)

Before recommending lithotripsy, our team first locates the stone. You may not be a candidate for lithotripsy depending on the location, the material making up the stone (some stones are too hard to break apart using shock waves), the size (i.e., stones > 2 cm), if you’re pregnant, or if you have certain medical conditions or infections.

To find out more about lithotripsy treatment for kidney stones or to learn if you’re a candidate for this therapy, schedule an appointment with our team at Urological Associates in Charlottesville.