If one is experiencing lower abdominal pain or pain while urinating, these could be signs of a urinary bladder stone. However many people must be unaware of what bladder stones are. Bladder stones are hard masses of minerals that develop in the bladder as a result of several minerals in the urine that clump together. They typically develop when a person experiences difficulty emptying the bladder. The smaller stones may pass on their own without requiring any treatment. However, sometimes they might require surgical intervention. Now, one must be wondering how to get rid of these bladder stones. One of the most effective procedures that helps one get rid of bladder stones is cystolitholapaxy.
To provide readers with an in-depth understanding of how they can get rid of bladder stones with cystolitholapaxy, we have taken insights from Dr. Niren Rao, a leading bladder stone specialist in Delhi, to explain the same. Continue reading this post to learn more about Cystolitholapaxy’s meaning, procedure, and more.
What is Cystolitholapaxy?
The most popular surgical treatment to remove bladder stones that do not require an external incision is cystolitholapaxy. It is an outpatient procedure where the patient can return home on the same day. The surgeon uses a cystoscope during a cystolitholapaxy to locate the bladder stone. The stones are then broken into small fragments with the help of a laser and removed from the bladder. However, in some cases, the surgeon might make small incisions in the lower abdomen and bladder to remove stones.
Who Needs a Cystolitholapaxy?
Cystolitholapaxy may be necessary for patients who are unable to pass stones naturally by drinking enough water. The ideal candidates for this procedure include patients who:
- Do not want to undergo an invasive procedure with surgical incisions
- Have stones that are less than 3 cm in size
- Require another procedure to treat prostate
How is Cystolitholapaxy Performed?
Cystolitholapaxy is an outpatient procedure where the patient returns home on the same day of the procedure. Depending on the stone’s size, the procedure might take 40–60 minutes. Following are the steps that will be followed to perform a cystolitholapaxy:
- In the OT, the patient will be made to relax in a dorsal lithotomy position, i.e., lying at the back with their legs flexed 90 degrees at the hips.
- The anesthesiologist will administer local or general anesthesia. While local anesthesia is inserted into the urethra to numb the area, general anesthesia is administered through the IV line to make the patient unconscious throughout the procedure.
- In the case of general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist will insert a breathing tube in the patient's mouth and down in the windpipe once they are asleep.
- The surgical site will be cleaned afterward with an antiseptic solution, and the patient's heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure will be monitored.
- After this, the surgeon will place a cystoscope, which has a camera at the end, through the urethra and then the bladder. The camera helps the surgeon locate the stone.
- Afterward, a laser or ultrasonic wave will be passed through the cystoscope to fragment the stone.
- The surgeon will use fluids to flush the stone fragments out of the urethra.
- Then the cystoscope will be removed, and a catheter will be placed inside the bladder.
Conclusion
If one is experiencing a bladder stone that causes excessive pain in the abdomen, they must seek medical attention without delaying it. If left untreated, bladder stones can cause lasting damage to the bladder. Therefore, if one is looking to get an effective bladder stone treatment, i.e., cystolitholapaxy, one can schedule a consultation with Dr. Niren Rao, the best urologist in Delhi, at Dr. Niren Rao’s Urology Practice.
The expert urologist has 19 years of overall experience and specializes in performing successful bladder stone surgeries starting at Rs. 25000.
To know the exact cost of bladder stone surgery, visit Dr. Niren Rao’s Urology Practice.
