“Shocking” for Stone: BWH Acquires Stone Bath
A man has a 13 percent chance in his lifetime of getting a kidney stone; a woman’s chance is 7 percent. And once you’ve had one stone, your chances of getting another increase dramatically to 50 percent over five years and 80 percent over 10 years.
To enhance the treatment of patients with kidney stones, the BWH Division of Urology now offers the option of a stone bath. Contrary to what the name suggests, no water is actually involved in BWH’s unit. Rather, stones are broken up by shockwaves delivered through ultrasound.
“The stone bath was a major acquisition for the hospital,” said Kevin Loughlin, MD, of Urology. “It allows us to treat patients in a noninvasive manner with minimal discomfort. Patients are able to get back to their normal activity very quickly after this outpatient procedure.”
Rather than removing a stone surgically or via ureteroscope, urologists, with the assistance of nurses and a technician, can use a mobile ultrasound unit to generate shock waves that travel through the body until they hit the stones. Urologists can use an X-ray or ultrasound to pinpoint the exact position of the stone during the treatment. The shockwaves crush the stones into tiny pieces that then pass through the urinary tract. Urologists may place a stent in the ureter to help fragments pass without causing a blockage.
The Division of Urology is performing about eight procedures a day once a month to begin. A procedure lasts about 30 minutes.
“So far, people have been delighted with this new treatment option,” Loughlin said.
Loughlin and his colleagues intend to study whether the stone bath could offer effective treatment for other diseases and conditions.