Bladder Stone Treatment
Bladder stone is a urological condition caused by some amount of urine being left out in the urinary bladder after one use of the washroom. It is a hardened clump of minerals and salts or waste products of the urine which form in the bladder. The bladder is an organ of the urinary system that collects and holds urine produced by the kidney for some time.
Bladder stones may be small in size and stay in the bladder for some time without causing symptoms. Small bladder stones may leave one’s system while one urinates. However, large bladder stones may show symptoms and require removal with treatment. The bladder stones can also vary in their shape. Some can be spherical while others can be irregular. The alternative names of Bladder stones include Bladder calculi, urinary tract stones, vesical calculi, or cystoliths.
At Arete Hospitals, Department of Urology, there is unparalleled care provided to people with bladder stones by top-notch urologists. The urology team provides world-class diagnosis and therapeutic services for their patients and uses advanced technology for Bladder Stone Removal in Hyderabad.
Benefits of Bladder Stone Removal
When bladder stones cannot pass on their own, proper minimally invasive procedures or surgery can help patients avoid long-term health issues. If bladder stones are left untreated for long, they can cause pain, infection, bleeding, and difficulty peeing.
- One can get relief from bladder stone symptoms
- Avoid risk of developing health complications
- Relief from pain and discomfort
- Improved urinary flow and function
- Prevention of urinary tract infections
- Reduction of the risk of bladder damage
- Enhanced quality of life
- Lower risk of complications like kidney problems.
Causes and Risk Factors of Bladder Stones
Bladder stones are the result of prolonged urine storage in the bladder. The incomplete emptying of the bladder causes the salts, potassium, protein, and other waste products present in the urine to concentrate and form hard crystals- the Bladder Stones.
Here are some of the causes of bladder stones:
- Dehydration- Concentrated urine can cause the minerals and salts in urine to clump together and lead to bladder stones.
- Bladder augmentation- This is a surgical procedure wherein bowel tissues are taken to enlarge the bladder and improve its functioning. It can sometimes cause pooling of pee in the bladder, thereby causing bladder stones.
- Bladder diverticula- They are cave-like openings in the bladder that are present at birth or develop later in life because of a disease or enlarged prostate. They can hold pee and make it difficult for the bladder to empty stored urine.
- Dropped bladder (cystocele)- It is a condition wherein the supportive bladder muscles and ligaments get stretched and weakened causing the bladder to drop into the vagina and block urine flow.
- Enlarged prostate- It can cause obstruction of the urethra and no complete drainage of urine from the bladder.
- Neurogenic bladder- It is when nerve damage from spina bifida, stroke, spinal cord injury, or other disease/condition affects bladder working and ability to pee.
- Kidney stones- Some kidney stones travel down to the bladder and get stuck there to grow and develop into bladder stones.
- Use of medical devices- Catheters that go into the bladder, if not replaced often can cause stones to develop inside the device.
The risk factors of bladder stones include:
- Age and sex- Elderly males develop bladder more often stones than females.
- Blockage of bladder outlet- Any condition such as an enlarged prostate that can obstruct urine flow from the bladder to out of the body.
- Paralysis- The loss of muscle control and serious spinal nerve injuries in the pelvic area can affect the normal emptying of the urinary bladder.
Symptoms of Bladder Stone
Bladder stones start showing symptoms when they are large. The signs of large bladder stones may include:
- Cloudy or dark urine
- Blood in urine (hematuria)
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating (dysuria)
- Pain that comes and goes in the belly, penis, or testicles
- Difficulty in starting or stopping urination (urinary intermittency)
- Urinary frequency (urge to urinate more often)
- Signs of urinary tract infections- cloudy/foul-smelling urine, painful and frequent urination.
If someone is experiencing any signs and symptoms of bladder stones, they should seek diagnosis and treatment from a Bladder Stone Doctor in Hyderabad at Arete Hospitals. A qualified doctor can accurately assess their condition and effectively remove the stones using advanced medical technology.
Diagnosis of Bladder Stone
The diagnosis of bladder stones starts with a review of the patient’s medical history, checking on the patient’s symptoms, and conducting a physical examination. Some tests that can be ordered by Urologists in Hyderabad to confirm a diagnosis of bladder stone include:
- Urinalysis- The patient is asked to pee into a urine sample collecting cup. The urine sample is sent to a laboratory to check for small bladder stones, signs of UTI, or blood in the urine.
- Imaging tests- These include an abdominal CT scan, bladder or pelvis X-ray, and/or abdominal ultrasound to get clear images of the bladder. They can help the urologists know the shape, size, and location of bladder stones.
- Cystoscopy- In this procedure, a urologist passes a cystoscope through the urethra into the bladder to get real-time images of the bladder. A cystoscope is a thin, flexible tube fitted with light and a camera at its end.
Get all these tests performed under one roof at Arete Hospitals, Best Bladder Stone Removal Hospitals in Hyderabad.
Urinary Bladder Stone Treatment in Hyderabad
Bladder stone treatment is usually needed for large bladder stones. Typically, the treatment of bladder stones includes any of the following approaches:
Cystolitholapaxy in Hyderabad
In this minimally invasive treatment, the urologist inserts a cystoscope into the patient’s urinary bladder through the urethra to locate the bladder stone. Once the bladder stone is spotted on the monitor screen, the urologist uses a laser or high-frequency ultrasound probe to break down the large bladder stone into smaller pieces. The fragmented bladder stones are removed and flushed out of the body using fluids. To get more details on Bladder Stone Removal Surgery Cost in Hyderabad, schedule a visit with the professionals at Arete Hospitals.
Surgery
In case of very large bladder stones, the urologist may perform an open or laparoscopic surgery to remove it. During this operation, the urologist uses a scalpel/sharp knife to make a small abdominal incision and take out the bladder stone. If the bladder stone develops due to an enlarged prostate, the urologist may even remove prostate tissue that obstructs the urethra.The small bladder stones may pass on their own by just increasing daily fluid intake. Rarely, drugs are used to dissolve bladder stones.
For more details on these procedures get in touch with Arete Hospitals experts known for offering the best Urinary Tract / Bladder Stones Treatment in Hyderabad.
1. Who is more likely to get bladder stones?
Bladder stones can affect any individual. However, they are more likely to be seen in people assigned male at birth who have crossed their mid-age. That’s because of them having an enlarged prostate that results in incomplete draining of urine from the bladder. Bladder stones are also more likely to develop in people having kidney stones, those who have undergone specific bladder surgery like augmentation cystoplasty, or those who have spinal cord injury or nerve damage affecting their bladder.
2. Can I prevent bladder stones?
Bladder stones may not be a preventable condition. However, you can reduce your risk of developing bladder stones by diluting your urine with fluids, taking specific medications, and modifying your diet. Intake of certain foods and drinks can increase your risk of developing bladder stones. These include products loaded with sodium (salt) and sugars such as processed foods, junk/fast foods, canned vegetables, soda pop, and others.
3. How should I take care of myself, if diagnosed with bladder stone?
If experiencing bladder stone symptoms, you can get relief by taking proper care of yourself. You must drink adequate amounts of fluids daily. If experiencing pain or discomfort because of a bladder stone, NSAIDs can help relieve pain and anti-nausea medications can help ease the queasiness. Alpha-blockers can also be used for you to pass small bladder stones in urine.
4. Are bladder and kidney stones the same?
No. The major difference is in the location where the stones develop. Bladder stones develop in the urinary bladder while kidney stones develop in one or both of the kidneys. Both kidneys and bladder are part of our urinary system. However, kidney stones may turn into bladder stones if they are small and passed onto the bladder through ureters without being expelled. In such a case, kidney stones can ultimately grow into bladder stones.
5. Can children get bladder stones?
Yes. Some children have greater chances of developing bladder stones. These include children having congenital bladder abnormalities for which they have undergone bladder augmentation surgeries.
6. Can bladder stones cause cancer?
If bladder stone is not removed for long-term, it can cause persistent irritation of the bladder’s inner lining which can lead to bladder cancer.
Arete Hospitals is a trusted medical facility known for its experienced urologists, advanced technology, and excellent patient care, making it a reliable choice for urinary bladder stone removal and one of the Top Bladder Stone Removal Hospitals in Hyderabad.
