Your Recovery
Laser lithotripsy is a way to treat kidney stones. This treatment uses a laser to break kidney stones into tiny pieces.
For several hours after the procedure you may have a burning feeling when you urinate. You may feel the urge to go even if you don't need to. This feeling should go away within a day. Drinking a lot of water can help.
Your doctor also may advise you to take medicine that numbs the burning. This medicine is called phenazopyridine (Pyridium).
Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic. This will help prevent an infection.
You may have some blood in your urine for 2 or 3 days.
Your doctor may have placed a small tube inside one of your ureters. Ureters are the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. The small tube the doctor may have placed is called a stent. It may help the stone fragments pass through your body. Your doctor may remove the stent in a few weeks.
Most stone fragments that are not removed pass out of the body within 24 hours. But sometimes it can take many weeks. If you have a large stone, you may need to come back for more treatments.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to feel better as quickly as possible.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
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