Are there ways to treat kidney stones larger than 10mm?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vo Thien Ngon - Department of General Surgery - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Kidney stones are one of the urinary tract stones, accounting for the highest percentage of urinary tract stones. Kidney stones come in many different sizes, and the choice of treatment depends on many factors, including the size of the stone.

Treatment of kidney stones is mainly based on the stone size, so determining the stone size is essential for the doctor to choose the appropriate treatment method.
For small stones <5mm in size: Small stones usually do not need interventional treatment, mainly using conservative and medical treatment methods.
For large stones > 5mm: With such large stones, surgical intervention is required, which is surgery and less traumatic treatments.

With small kidney stones < 7mm in size and not causing complications on the urinary tract, use medical methods such as: Taking medicine, diet, drinking lots of water, increasing exercise...
With Large stones >7mm: Currently, open surgery in the world, especially in developed countries, rarely uses open surgery due to many complications after surgery, but in Vietnam this method is still widely used because Patients often come late, with many complications on the urinary tract.
The most effective methods of treating kidney stones > 7mm with few complications after surgery, less pain and fast recovery time include:
2.1 Extracorporeal lithotripsy Is an effective treatment for kidney stones which is the most gentle, causes less pain, and has a fast recovery time after lithotripsy. Short hospital stay only 1⁄2 days.
Extracorporeal lithotripsy applies to stones less than 15mm in size (about 2cm above and below), this method uses a shock wave form to break large stones into small stones and small pieces of stone will escape. out through the urine, the rate of stone removal of this method is about 55 - 85%.
2.2 Ureteroscopy This method is a method of removing kidney stones and ureters without scarring, quick recovery time, hospital stay for about 1 day
Method of implementation: Using a very small ureteroscope passed through the urinary opening, up the ureter to access the stone, then using a laser to break the stone, the debris is sucked out through the ureteroscope. Then, a soft catheter will be placed into the urinary system with The 2 ends of the tube are curled in the renal pelvis and bladder (JJ tube) and will be removed after 1 month.
2.3 Standard endoscopic percutaneous renal lithotripsy

This method is a highly technical method, which can completely replace open surgery applied to all stones > 25mm, especially coral stones, with less complications of kidney damage, less pain, and scarring. Small surgery only < 1cm, short hospital stay only about 3-5 days.
Treatment with this method, the patient is under general anesthesia.
2.4 Minimal percutaneous endoscopic lithotripsy Laparoscopic minimally invasive nephrolithiasis is based on the principles of standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy but uses a small size ureteroscope and hospital stay reduced to only 1-2 days, less bleeding, less pain, very little damage to kidney function and surgical scars so small that it is difficult to detect.
This effective treatment for kidney stones is used for stones from 15-25mm and is especially good for cases where ureteroscopy or extracorporeal lithotripsy many times but failed.

The decision to choose a method of treatment for kidney stones depends on many factors, as well as how effective the treatment is, it also depends on the qualifications and technique of the doctor. equipment and machinery provided by the hospital.
When customers choose to be treated at Vinmec:
Get screened, diagnose and choose treatment methods by a team of leading nephrologists and urologists. The doctors perform the treatment techniques proficiently and experienced. The most modern equipment system is used at Vinmec hospital. After the treatment, the doctors advise fully on measures to minimize the recurrence of stones. Kidney stones larger than 10 mm often rarely have effective medical treatment, but most have to intervene to remove stones if kidney stones cause pain, kidney retention). Currently, there are many surgical methods that are less invasive, less painful and less harmful to the urinary system, patients with kidney stones should not be too worried, so they should go to reputable medical facilities for treatment. advice and choose the treatment that works best for you. In particular, kidney stones can progress silently, sometimes without symptoms, so it is necessary to have regular health check-ups to detect the disease early, and treat it more effectively.