Kidney stones - lithotripsy - discharge

Alternate Names

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy - discharge; Shock wave lithotripsy - discharge; Laser lithotripsy - discharge; Percutaneous lithotripsy - discharge; Endoscopic lithotripsy - discharge; ESWL - discharge

When You Were in the Hospital:

You had lithotripsy, a medical procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in your kidney, bladder, or ureter (tube that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder). The waves break the stones into tiny pieces.

What to Expect at Home:

It is normal to have a small amount of blood in your urine for a few days to a few weeks after this procedure.

You may have pain and nausea when the stone pieces pass. This can happen soon after treatment and may last for 4 to 8 weeks.

Self-care:

Have someone drive you home from the hospital. Rest when you get home. Most people can resume their regular daily activities 1 or 2 days after this procedure.

Drink a lot of water in the weeks after treatment. This helps pass any pieces of stone that still have not passed.

Learn how to prevent your kidney stones from coming back. See also: Kidney stones - self-care

Take the pain medicine your doctor told you to take and drink a lot of water if you have pain. You may need to take antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicines for a few days.

You will probably be asked to strain your urine at home to look for stones. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how to do this. Any stones you find can be sent to a medical lab to be examined.

You will be asked to visit your doctor for a follow-up appointment in the weeks after your lithotripsy.

You may have a nephrostomy drainage tube and will need to take care of it. See also: Percutaneous urinary procedures - discharge

When to Call the Doctor:

Call your doctor if you have:

Very bad pain in your back or side that will not go away
Blood in your urine
Fever and chills
Vomiting
Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy
A burning feeling when you urinate

Reviewed last on: 1/13/2009
Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

Connect with UMMC

© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)