MULJIBHAI PATEL UROLOGICAL HOSPITAL, NADIAD

JAYARAMDAS PATEL ACADEMIC CENTRE

NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED

INSTRUCTION COURSE ON PCNL

Jayaramdas Patel Academic Centre (JPAC) at the Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital (MPUH), Nadiad will be organizing yet another Instruction Course on PCNL (Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy) between 2 -4 July, 2009.  

Stone management occupies a major portion of our clinical practice.  Basically most of the stone cases are either neglected or diagnosed late.  Very often they complicate other health problems like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, pregnancy, neurological diseases, CRF, Bleeding Diathesis, etc.  This increases complication or failure to clear all stones.  Though PCNL (Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy), URS (Ureteroscopic lithotripsy) and ESWL (Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy) are still indicated, their applications have been modified.  It requires special attention.

International faculty who will be participating in the Course includes Peter Alken from Germany and Adrian Joyce from UK , while Samir Rai and Anil Bradoo will be among the National faculty members.  Mahesh Desai, Director, JPAC and Chairman, Dept. of Urology; and R.B. Sabnis, Vice Chairman, Dept. of Urology will also be present, among others, from MPUH.

The main aim of the Course is to focus on complicated situations.  There will be ‘hands on’ facilities to increase the skill.  Around 50 persons are expected to participate in the programme.

Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital, who are the pioneers in the field of nephro-urology in India , has handled more than 16000 stone cases so far. 

Kidney Stones Overview

The kidney acts as a filter for blood, removing waste products from the body and helping regulate the levels of chemicals important for body function. The urine drains from the kidney into the bladder through a narrow tube called the ureter. When the bladder fills and there is an urge to urinate, the bladder empties through the urethra, a much wider tube than the ureter.

In some people, the urine chemicals crystallize and form the beginning, or a nidus, of a kidney stone. These stones are very tiny when they form, smaller than a grain of sand, but gradually they can grow to a quarter inch or larger. The size of the stone doesn't matter as much as where it is located.

When the stone sits in the kidney, it rarely causes problems, but should it fall into the ureter, it acts like a dam. The kidney continues to function and make urine, which backs up behind the stone, stretching the kidney. This pressure build up causes the pain of a kidney stone, but it also helps push the stone along the course of the ureter. When the stone enters the bladder, the obstruction in the ureter is relieved and the symptoms of a kidney stone are resolved.

Kidney Stones Causes

There is no consensus as to why kidney stones form.

*       Heredity: Some people are more susceptible to forming kidney stones, and heredity certainly plays a role. The majority of kidney stones are made of calcium, and hypercalciuria (high levels of calcium in the urine), is a risk factor. The predisposition to high levels of calcium in the urine may be passed on from generation to generation. Some rare hereditary diseases also predispose some people to form kidney stones. Examples include people with renal tubular acidosis and people with problems metabolizing a variety of chemicals including cystine (an amino acid), oxalate, (a type of salt), and uric acid (as in gout).

*       Geographical location: There is also a geographic predisposition in some people who form kidney stones. There are regional "stone belts," with people living in the stone belts having an increased risk. This is likely because of the hot climate, since these people can get dehydrated, and their urine becomes more concentrated, allowing chemicals to come in closer contact and begin forming the nidus of a stone.

*       Diet: Diet may or may not be an issue. If a person is susceptible to forming stones, then foods high in calcium may increase the risk, however if a person isn't susceptible to forming stones, nothing in the diet will change that risk.

*       OTC products: People taking diuretics (or "water pills") and those who consume excess calcium-containing antacids can increase the amount of calcium in their urine and increase their risk of forming stones. Patients with HIV who take the medication indinavir (Crixivan) can form indinavir stones.

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