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What are Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are solid lumps or crystals that develop from materials in your kidneys, such as salts, minerals, and acids. They can range in size from tiny to enormous. Nephrolithiasis or renal calculi are other names for kidney stones.

You might not even be aware that you have a kidney stone, depending on its size. Without causing any symptoms, smaller stones may pass through your urinary tract in your urine. Large kidney stones may become trapped in your ureter.

What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?

  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs), severe pain, and kidney damage can all be avoided with timely kidney stone therapy. Kidney damage or renal failure may result from kidney stones that enlarge, become trapped in the urinary tract, or obstruct urine flow if treatment is not received.
  • In addition to reducing the need for more intrusive procedures like surgery, early intervention helps to relieve symptoms and stop the growth of stones. Early intervention, such as medication, lifestyle modifications, and surgery, can preserve kidney function and improve results.

What are the Common Symptoms of Kidney Stones?

Kidney stone symptoms include:

  • Pain in your lower back, belly or side (flank pain)
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Bloody pee
  • Pain when you pee
  • Inability to pee
  • Feeling the urge to pee a lot
  • Fever or chills
  • Cloudy or foul-smelling pee

Causes, Risk Factors and Complications of Kidney Stones

Causes

  • Kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid than the fluid in your urine can dilute.
  • At the same time, your urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.

Risk Factors

Types of kidney stones

  • Calcium-oxalate and calcium phosphate stones: When you consume low-calcium or high-oxalate diets and don't drink enough water, calcium-based stones may develop.
  • Uric acid stones: Uric acid stones can develop from eating animal proteins, such as fish, poultry, pig, eggs, and beef.
  • Struvite stones: Struvite stones can be brought on by bacterial infections.
  • Cystine stones: Cystine stones are caused by a genetic disorder known as cystinuria. Two cysteine amino acids are joined to form the compound cysteine.

Complications

Kidney stones may increase your risk of

  • An obstruction that causes your kidneys to enlarge by backing urine up into them (hydronephrosis).
  • Inflammation of the kidneys (pyelonephritis).
  • One form of kidney failure that may be curable is acute renal injury.
  • Recurrent UTIs (urinary tract infections).
  • CKD, or chronic kidney disease.

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Latest Research and Technologies in the Treatment of Kidney Stones in Turkey

  • In Turkey, kidney stone therapy has improved to include minimally invasive procedures such as Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) for effective stone removal.
  • Non-invasive techniques, such as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), are also commonly utilized. Ongoing research focuses on improving these techniques to get better results and quicker recovery.

Kidney Stones Prevention Tips

Your risk of kidney stones may be influenced by what foods and drinks you consume. A few of the guidelines to follow to Reduce the risk of kidney stones:

  • Consuming a lot of water.
  • Restricting the use of animal proteins.
  • Limiting salt and sugar-rich foods.
  • Limiting oxalate-rich foods.
  • Consumption of foods high in calcium.

Treatment options for Kidney Stones

Kidney Stone Removal: Ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy are two methods for removing kidney stones. A small tube is inserted through the urethra and bladder into the ureter or kidney during ureteroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure used to remove or break down kidney stones. Large kidney stones can be surgically removed with a percutaneous nephrolithotomy, which is performed under imaging guidance through a tiny back incision.


Cost Start From USD 3150 - USD 3850Explore Options

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL): Using sound waves to produce powerful vibrations known as shock waves, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) breaks up the stones into little fragments that can be eliminated through urine.


Cost Start From USD 500 - USD 1500Explore Options

Your doctor may perform the following diagnostic tests and procedures if they think you have a kidney stone:

  • Blood testing: Your blood may have excessive uric acid or calcium levels, according to blood tests.
  • Urine testing: The 24-hour urine collection test results may indicate that you are excreting either too few chemicals that prevent stones or too many minerals that cause them.
  • X-ray (KUB - Kidney, Ureter, and Bladder): Offers a basic picture of the kidneys and urinary tract stones.
  • Ultrasound: Non-invasive and frequently used to find stones, particularly in pregnant women or young children.
  • CT Scan: Offers the most detailed view and is the gold standard for detecting kidney stones, including size, location, and type.

The goals of kidney stone rehabilitation are to control symptoms, stop recurrence, and enhance general kidney health:

  • Hydration: Consuming a lot of liquids aids in the removal of minor stones and stops the formation of new ones.
  • Dietary modifications: Reducing salt, foods high in oxalate, or animal protein, for example, can help avoid kidney stones by modifying the diet according to the kind of kidney stones.
  • Physical Activity: Regular exercise can help keep the kidneys healthy overall and facilitate the transit of smaller stones.

A healthcare professional may recommend or prescribe medications if your kidney stone is self-resolving and not causing infection to:

  • To aid in the passage of stones, relax your ureter.
  • Control your nausea and vomiting.
  • Manage pain conditions

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Hospitals for Kidney Stones in Turkey

Medicana Camlica Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medicana Camlica Hospital

Istanbul, Turkey

Medicana Camlica Hospital located in Istanbul, Turkey is accredited by JCI. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • 150 bedded Hospital
  • Specialty-based clinics
  • Fully-equipped patient rooms
Hisar Intercontinental Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Hisar Intercontinental Hospital

Istanbul, Turkey

Architecture of the Hospital designed as per the comfort of patients-

  • Consisting of 8 floors, 212 bed capacity
  • 75m2 suite rooms
  • 35 thousand m2 closed area
  • 7 operating rooms
  • 53 polyclinics
  • 54 Departments
  • Hotel-like patient rooms
  • Intensive care units consisting of 33 beds
  • Hyperbaric Oxygen Center inside the hospital
  • PYXIS computerized medicine system working with fingerprint
  • Social waiting areas
  • Indoor and Outdoor Cafeterias & Restaurants
Medical Park Karadeniz Hospital: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Medical Park Karadeniz Hospital

Trabzon, Turkey

Apart from in-detail treatment procedures available, Medical Park Karadeniz Hospital located in Trabzon, Turkey has a wide variety of facilities available for International Patients. Some of the facilities which are provided by them are Accommodation, Airport Transfer, Choice of Meals, Interpreter, TV inside room. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • Situated in an area of 12.000 square meter
  • Capacity of 107 beds
  • Intensive Care Unit (17 beds)
  • Neonatal ICU (NICU- 12 beds)
  • 6 Operating Rooms
  • Cafeteria

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Why Choose Turkey for Kidney Stones Treatment?

Here are some of the reasons for choosing Turkey:

  • Advanced Medical Technology: Turkey provides cutting-edge kidney stone therapies.
  • Experienced Specialists: Highly trained urologists who specialise in treating complicated conditions.
  • Affordable Care: High-quality care is far cheaper than in Western countries.
  • Accredited Hospitals: Many hospitals are internationally recognised, which ensures high medical standards.
  • Seamless Medical Tourism: Support for international patients, including travel arrangements and multilingual services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Drink lots of water to flush out your kidney stone if your doctor believes it will go away. As directed by your physician, take any prescribed medication as directed, and abide by their dietary and drink instructions.

Sixty per cent of kidney stones larger than 6 mm and ninety per cent of kidney stones smaller than 6 mm pass on their own. You will require a procedure to break up and/or remove a kidney stone if it is large or obstructing your urine flow. Smaller stones that were supposed to pass by themselves can occasionally expand or shift, blocking the flow.

In Turkey, non-invasive treatments for kidney stones, such as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), have a success rate of over 90%. Minimally invasive techniques, such as Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL), have good success rates for treating larger stones. These treatments are carried out by qualified specialists employing modern equipment, which contributes to positive results.

If you have already experienced kidney stones, you are more prone to develop chronic renal disease.

Yes, kidney stone treatment in Turkey is far cheaper than in many Western countries while still providing high-quality care.

The size and location of the stone determine how long it takes. Smaller stones, on the other hand, may disappear in a matter of days.

A stone that becomes lodged may cause excruciating pain, infection, or obstruction, necessitating medical assistance to break or remove it.

The length of recovery varies according to the type of surgery. Recovery times can range from a few days for less invasive operations like ureteroscopy to a few weeks for more invasive treatments like percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Following removal or passage, a stone may be sent for analysis to ascertain its composition (such as uric acid or calcium oxalate), which aids in directing preventative measures.

To find a qualified kidney stone specialist in Turkey, use MediGence, which provides a curated list of the best urologists and specialists from Turkey's major hospitals. MediGence allows you to explore the profiles of professionals, check their credentials, reviews, and experience, and even schedule online appointments. The platform also assists you in locating the top hospitals for kidney stone treatment and offers specialised guidance to guarantee you obtain the best possible care for your illness.