nefrolitotomía

Nefrolitotomía is a surgical procedure used to remove kidney stones. It is a type of surgery that involves making an incision in the flank to access the kidney and then surgically removing the stone or stones. This procedure is generally reserved for larger kidney stones or stones that are causing significant obstruction or infection, and when less invasive methods like extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) or ureteroscopy have failed or are not suitable.

The surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision in the patient's back, through which a specialized instrument called a nephroscope is inserted into the kidney. The nephroscope allows the surgeon to visualize the stones, and then they can be broken up using various tools, such as ultrasonic or electrohydraulic lithotripsy, and subsequently removed. In some cases, if the stones are large or fragmented into many pieces, a technique called anatrophic nephrolithotomy might be employed, which involves partially dividing the kidney to gain better access to the stones within the collecting system.

Recovery time for nefrolitotomía can vary depending on the complexity of the procedure and the size of the stones. Patients typically require a hospital stay of several days and may experience some pain and discomfort in the flank area. Potential complications, though infrequent, can include bleeding, infection, damage to the kidney, or leakage of urine. Advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques have led to a decrease in the use of open nefrolitotomía, with percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) becoming the more common approach for stone removal directly from the kidney.