Last updated:
Laser surgery installed at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (representative picture)
Laser Surgery for Kidney Stones: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi has set up a state-of-the-art endourology ward. The department will now perform kidney stone laser surgery for free. Dr. Hemant Kumar Goyal, Director of Urology Surgery, RML Hospital, Delhi, explains laser surgery
Nowadays, due to unhealthy lifestyle and habit of consuming junk food has become a very common trend and is the cause of many serious diseases. The problem of kidney stones is one of them. When this problem occurs, the pain can even make getting up and sitting down difficult. If the stone grows in size, surgery is the only solution.
However, not many people can afford the budget for surgery, so they are prone to many serious diseases. A state-of-the-art Department of Endourology has been set up at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi to retain the financially weaker section.
Thanks to the installation of this laser technology, kidney stone laser surgery is now available free of charge at RML Hospital. Dr. Hemant Kumar Goyal, Director, Department of Urology, RML Hospital, said that the Union Health Ministry has set up a state-of-the-art endourology unit at RML Hospital.
Patients suffering from kidney stones and prostate problems will be able to get free laser surgery at hospitals without incurring huge costs. According to experts, many private hospitals have facilities for laser kidney stone removal and prostate surgeries.
However, government hospitals do not provide these facilities. Department of Urology, AIIMS provides facilities for lithotripsy surgery only. As government hospitals lack this laser technology, financially weak patients cannot avail this facility. Through this technique, kidney stones as small as one centimeter can be removed from the kidney without using any incision or giving anesthesia.
When and how laser surgery is performed
Dr. Hemant Kumar Goyal further explained that stones below 0.5-0.8 cm can be removed through medication without the need for surgery. However, stones larger than this size require surgery to remove.
Generally speaking, the surgery is performed through a laparoscopic technique to make a small hole in the back to remove the kidney stones. But now, stones up to two centimeters in size can be removed through laser surgery.
The laser surgery, which lasts about an hour and a half, involves removing a fiber from the patient's urethra near the kidney and using a laser to break up the stone. The procedure is painless compared to other methods.
Stay up to date on the latest unrest in Bangladesh with our live blog.
