Kidney stones more common in summer, warns Quirónsalud Málaga’s urology team

According to experts, the incidence of kidney stones, or nephrolithiasis (commonly known as kidney stones), can increase by as much as 40 percent during the summer months. The reason is simple: The most common type of kidney stone is caused by a buildup of calcium, other minerals, and salts in the kidneys or urinary tract. “As the temperature rises, we sweat more, which leads to fluid loss and higher concentrations of these substances, thus increasing the risk of kidney stones,” explains Dr. José Ángel Gómez Pascual, head of the centre. Urology services at the Quirónsalud Hospital in Malaga.

The main advice is as simple as explaining why. The solution is in a hydrated state. The large fluid loss has to be compensated by the intake of water, which is essential for excreting everything through urine, also in the case of stone formation. Doctors recommend drinking plenty of water, but also other types of fluids, such as soups, infusions, or juices. Prevention through hydration is paramount, and not just in summer, although the problem is more common in summer for obvious reasons related to temperature. Insufficient water is a common cause of various urinary stones or calculations, among which, in addition to calcium stones, uric acid stones and stones caused by infection are also prominent.

Kidney stones vary in size, from a grain of sand to a fairly large stone. Kidney stones can pass naturally through the urine, thanks to simple recommendations, such as the aforementioned drinking plenty of water. But they can also lodge in the kidneys or travel through the urinary tract and get stuck, blocking the urinary tract and causing painful renal colic. This is the most common symptom of kidney stones: sudden, sudden, severe pain. Other times, kidney stones can be discovered incidentally through radiology tests or urinary tract sepsis. An infection that causes pain, discomfort, and fever.

If kidney stones do not pass through urine on their own, urologists have specialized techniques to remove them, and lithotripsy is the treatment of choice.

The Urology Department of the Quirónsalud Hospital in Malaga, under the leadership of doctors José Ángel Gómez Pascual and Francisco Antuña Calle, has treated about 3,000 patients with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL); Surgery and general anesthesia are the first choice for resolving kidney or ureteral stones.

The service has a state-of-the-art Donier Lithotripter prototype that guarantees precision and efficiency, combined with an excellent medical team, making it a reference center in eastern Andalusia. “It’s amazingly effective at fragmenting stones with a very high success rate in just one session lasting about an hour,” says Dr. José Ángel Gómez Pascual.

«The treatment does not require hospitalization, uses analgesia or deep sedation to avoid pain and anesthesia problems, is carried out on a day hospital regime, and is discharged one or two hours after the end of the treatment if the clinical situation allows and the condition permits, the urologist details Say, the patient will be taken home by a companion.

The facility and efficiency with which to treat the dreaded kidney stone has allowed the service to treat 3,000 patients since launching the lithotripsy service in 2012, with a single-treatment success rate of over 80%.

«Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy has undoubtedly reached a very high level of effectiveness and, although it represents the basis of the therapeutic approach, it should under no circumstances be considered the only procedure for the treatment of urinary stones. Other procedures, such as laser endoscopic lithotripsy and percutaneous laser nephrolithotomy, are very important, so we defend the complementarity between the different procedures that are currently available”, said the Urology Service of the Quirón Salud Hospital in Malaga. This is the case.

To this end, a team led by Gómez Pascual and Antuña Calle approached the diagnosis and treatment of stones from a comprehensive perspective. The hospital has all means for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of kidney stones. Plus, with 24-hour emergency services, diagnostic imaging, and high-level laboratory support, urology service professionals have all the tools to decide which is the best option for stone removal, as well as the necessary treatment. Research to avoid relapse.