Odd situation, at least I think it is. I had a 15mm by 10mm stone in my right kidney. I went in for a ureteroscopy on Thursday expecting to wake up from anethesia and be told to go home and rest. I was told that, but was also told that the laser broke while in there, and then the cage used to retrieve it broke. So they spent the majority of the time retrieving those instead of completing the procedure. It appears they were able to get about a third of it. So question.... Does this happen often? It sounds like they want to do it again, will the 2nd round be easier now that I have a stent in my ureter? TIA.
Any Urologists here?
- Thread starter hawkiniowacity
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Jesus, did you go to a pop up Dr office in a mall?
I have a pretty good urologist. He shares an office with a psychiatrist. They call their practice Odds & Ends.
Nope, Oschner Medical. Largest medical provider in Louisiana. Used to be (may still be) #1 in the nation for liver transplants!
Unfortunately, medical equipment breaks from time to time. Just be thankful you are safe.
15 x 10 is a really big stone. It's a long slow ureteroscopy that takes several hours as opposed to 20-30 minute quick dusting. We either dust a stone and literally turn into sand or we break it up into pieces and pull the pieces out with a stone basket. That's going to create a lot of stone burden. Some stones are really hard and don't break easily. It's rare the laser breaks but it is equipment and I have had it fail. Probably 2-3 times in 20 years. Many large hospitals have extras. I think we have three. Many small places rent them and as such the rental guys may only have one on the truck because their others are at other facilities.
Baskets can have several things go wrong. They can grab a stone too big to remove and thus get stuck. A piece can fragment off the basket and then you have to try to retrieve that. Visualization is poor because of how much stone dust is created from a large stone.
In summary, you and your surgeon had a bad day. Sometimes it doesn't go well. We've all been there. Lots of factors- where stone was located (in the kidney), large stone size, and it sounds like your ureter wasn't dilated. When you put a stent in, the ureter dilates and so we can run cameras up more easily, get bigger stone pieces out, etc. That's why it's easier on the 2nd go. Overall it sounds like they did the right thing and bailed out before more went wrong or you got hurt from the procedure.
It's likely you'll meet your deductible and both procedures will be covered. Watch your bills. If the insurance rules the 2nd surgery as medically unnecessary and not pay any of it (rare). The hospital can work with you on cost since it was at least partially due to equipment failure.
Now tell him about the part where he can pull the stent out himself. I did in November and it was the most scared I have been to do anything!
Thanks! Not worried about the cost. I'm at my annual deductible so should be good to go. I'm sure the insurance company wants a BOGO though!
Appreciate your input. Hopefully round 2 goes much better!
I honestly don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing. I did it but when I told my family doctor he made a face that I didn’t think doctors could make.
We want the stent to stay in to stretch stuff out for next surgery. When done with surgery, they may leave a stent if they think swelling will occur and thus give you one with strings hanging out that you can pull in a few days.
This is why I love ROT. Each of us have our small places of the world. But willing to help others out. There have been at least two ROT'rs that have reached me out for help. No charge, no name.
Thanks for your service @Urohawk
You should have gone to the U if I Hospital/Clinics… not the Vet School at Ames….
Just posting this here in hopes it make the OP feel better. I hope everything works out for ya bud!
He has a stent in, why give him a boner, you sadist.Just posting this here in hopes it make the OP feel better. I hope everything works out for ya bud!
It's not the stent, it's the damn Flomax!
This sucks. Felt good most the day. Got off work and fired up NCAA Football 2025. Played for a few hours. Fell asleep around 8. Woke up at 9 and again at 10. The past 2 hours feel like someone is scraping my ureter with a full spoon. Probably eat an edible here shortly
