Surgery Overview
In open surgery to remove kidney stones, the surgeon uses an incision in the person's abdomen or side to reach the kidney and remove the stones. He or she then puts a small tube (catheter) near the kidney to drain urine until the kidney heals.
What To Expect After Surgery
You will be in the hospital for 6 to 9 days. You are usually able to resume your normal activities within 4 to 6 weeks.
Why It Is Used
Open surgery is rarely needed to remove kidney stones. You may need it if:
- You have large stones caused by an infection (staghorn calculi).
- You were born with an abnormality in your urinary system that affects urine flow in the kidneys, ureters, or bladder.
- Other treatment methods have failed to remove or dissolve the stone.
How Well It Works
Depending on the location of the kidney stone, open surgery usually can completely remove the stone.
Risks
The risks of open surgery to remove a kidney stone include:
- Severe bleeding.
- Infection.
- Risks linked with anesthesia.
- An increased risk of getting a hernia where the cut was made for surgery.
There also is the risk that the kidney may be severely damaged by the open surgery and may have to be removed.
What To Think About
During recovery at home, call your surgeon immediately if you have:
- Sudden pain.
- Fever.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Signs of infection, such as swelling or redness around the incision.
The use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, and ureteroscopy to remove kidney stones has nearly eliminated the need for open surgery to remove stones.
The recovery time following open surgery is much longer than the recovery time for the treatments listed above.
Credits
Current as of:
March 1, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
Brian D. O'Brien MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Tushar J. Vachharajani MD, FASN, FACP - Nephrology
