Your physician may want you to go through a test called an Ureteroscopy if you are having problems with the way your kidneys function.
With this test your physician will be able to examine your kidneys. They will do this by using an instrument known as an ureteroscope.
An ureteroscope will be inserted into your ureter. This is the tube that your urine flows through from your kidney to your bladder. Your physician may consider an ureteroscopy if they think you may have a kidney stone.
Causes of Kidney Stones
There are several things that can cause kidney stones. These stones are more prevalent in men than in women. One reason you might get kidney stones is a change in your urine’s PH.
Kidney stones can also be caused by your urine moving too slow out of your body. Not getting enough vitamin A and getting too much calcium and vitamin D are other reasons you will get kidney stones. Of course kidney stones can be from a hereditary disease or diseases of your small bowel.
Procedure
Your physician will identify what kind of stone you have and how large it is. The size of the stone will determine whether it is too large to be removed by a laser.
If it is small enough to be removed your physician will break it into small pieces. They usually will use a thermal laser to do this and then they will pull the small pieces out of your kidney with an instrument that will grasp and hold onto them.
Complications Due to Anesthesia
There may be complications due to the anesthesia. You may feel nauseated and you could get an infection in your chest or throat.
If you have spinal anesthesia you may suffer from your blood pressure going too low. These complications are usually rare but you will want to discuss them with your doctor.
Several Procedure Complications
There are several procedure complications that can happen when getting an ureteroscopy. One such complication is difficulty in your physician inserting the ureteroscope into your ureter. This may be due to swelling.
Your physician will not force the instrument and will try again in a few weeks to let the swelling go down. Another complication you may suffer from is a tear in your ureter wall. This can happen if a stone gets stuck or becomes sharp inside your ureter. If a major tear occurs you may have to have surgery.
A small tear in your ureter wall is usually not a major complication though. Serious complications can result during an ureteroscopy.
If you get an avulsion of your ureter you may have to have your ureter replaced along with some of your intestine. This complication does require major surgery.
Even after you have had the procedure done you could still suffer from complications. Some complications are from the use of the instrument. You will need to go to a physician who is skilled in doing Ureteroscopy to avoid any severe complications from happening.
