What Happens During RIRS Surgery
Diagnosis
Before performing RIRS, the surgeons recommend some diagnostic tests which help them assess several factors, including the size and location of the stones, underlying diseases, and the patient’s overall health. All the patients need to have the test results with them on the day of the surgery. The commonly performed diagnostic tests before RIRS are :
- Imaging tests (KUB X-Ray, abdominal ultrasound, MRI)
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test
- Blood test
- Urinalysis
Procedure
RIRS is performed in the following steps:
The patient is given anesthesia which keeps them sedated throughout the surgery. The doctor can use spinal or general anesthesia for this procedure, based on the patient’s preference.
In the next step, the surgeon inserts an endoscope, which is a long and flexible tube, into the urethra to reach the urine-collecting part of the kidneys. This is an x-ray-guided procedure, and the doctors can see the images externally on a screen. This allows the surgeon to perform the procedure with more precision.
The endoscope is then moved upwards in retrograde towards the kidneys to locate the stones. Upon locating the stones, the surgeons use a laser probe to break the kidney stones and reduce them into fine fragments.
The broken fragments are then collected in a ‘stone basket’ and ultimately extracted through the same passageway.
Double J-Stunting in RIRS
The surgeons may use double J stents- ureteral stents placed in the ureter before or after the surgery. In some cases, the stents are placed before the surgery to dilate the ureter to allow the endoscope to pass easily during the procedure. In other cases, the stent is placed after the surgery for 7 to 10 days to promote healing.