Renal trauma: what is it, what are its symptoms and available treatments?
Our experts tell you what kidney trauma is, how it occurs and the treatments available to treat it.
Everything you need to know about endoscopy
What is an endocopy?
Endoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive technique in which the interior of an organ or cavity is directly observed by means of an instrument called an endoscope, which is introduced through natural orifices. Different surgical procedures can be performed through this approach.
What are the advantages of endourological surgery?
This technique has several advantages over conventional open surgery:
- Less postoperative pain.
- Reduced risk of complications of surgical wounds
- Lower risk of bleeding during surgery.
- Less scar sequelae with better aesthetic result.
- Shorter hospital stay
- Faster recovery
What urological procedures are performed by endourological surgery?
There are multiple surgical procedures performed with this minimally invasive technique:
Endourological procedures for the surgery of renal lithiasis
- Ureterorenoscopy or RIRS (Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery) is performed through the use of a surgical instrument called ureteroscope, which can be flexible, rigid or semi-rigid. This is introduced through the urethra until it reaches the bladder and once there, it is moved up the ureter until it reaches the lithiasis, which has to be fragmented with a laser, or even the kidney. After surgery a double J catheter is usually placed in the ureter for a few days after the procedure. The hospital stay ranges from 12 to 24 hours.
- Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL) is indicated for the treatment of kidney stones larger than 2 cm. A small incision is made in the skin and through a surgical instrument called a nephroscope the stone is located, fragmented with a laser and then the lithiasic remains are extracted.
Urethral endourological procedures
- Endoscopic urethreotomy is an intervention for the treatment of urethral stricture.
