Treatment for Kidney Stones, Kidney Cancer, & Other Conditions

Every day, millions of Americans cope with the effects of chronic kidney disease. What are these conditions? Patients of Academic Urology & Urogynecology of Arizona seek out the expertise of our Urologists, Doctors Jeffery A. Stern and Aaron LaTowsky for the treatment of kidney stones, kidney cancer, Hydronephrosis, obstructions of the kidney & ureter, ureteral cancer, as well as other conditions. By deploying minimally invasive strategies in urologic treatment, the specialists of our Arizona-based practice help women find the quality of life they deserve through state-of-the-art and comprehensive female urology and urogynecology care.

If you live in the Arizona cities of Anthem, Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, Sun City West, Litchfield Park, and Wickenburg and suffer from pelvic pain that is the result of a ureter or kidney condition, contact Academic Urology & Urogynecology of Arizona—a practice leading urologic care for men and women.

Kidney Stones

Are you experiencing pain in the abdomen, lower back, or groin? Is your urine an abnormal color? Have you experienced chills, fever, nausea, or vomiting? If you answered yes, you may have kidney stones, a common urologic problem in both men and women. Treatment will depend upon the type and size of the stone. For some, stones may be small enough to pass with the aid of prescribed medications. However, for large stones that are growing or blocking the flow of urine, surgical or minimally-invasive intervention, like laser lithotripsy for kidney stones, may be necessary. The kidney stone treatments at Academic Urology & Urogynecology of Arizona include:

• Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) - This non-invasive kidney stone treatment uses external shockwaves to break a stone into smaller pieces that can then be passed through the urinary tract. During this procedure the urologist locates the stone using an X-Ray or ultrasound and then targets the stone with high-energy sound waves.
• Ureteroscopy Holmium Laser Lithotripsy - Using the aid of a ureteroscope, a viewing instrument that is inserted into the urethra, the Holmium Laser Lithotripsy is able to reach the site of the kidney stone. Light energy then breaks the stone into smaller pieces which can then be extracted via the ureteroscope or passed naturally.
• Ureteroscopy - During this procedure, a flexible ureteroscope is inserted into the urethra and then guided through the bladder and ureter to the location of the kidney stone. Small forceps attached to the end of the scope then grab kidney stones of smaller size.

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer is the existence of malignant cells within the tissues of the kidney. Men and women are at greater risk once they exceed the age of forty. Available treatment options include biologic therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and targeted cryoablation. Below are two surgical options performed by the Arizona Urologists of our practice.

• Laparoscopic Nephrectomy (Kidney Surgery) - During a laparoscopic Nephrectomy, all (radical) or a portion (partial) of the kidney is removed using the aid of an endoscope and surgical instrumentation. Instead of a single large incision, a laparoscopic partial or radical Nephrectomy is performed through a series of small incisions in which the urologist places their instrumentation. Benefits include a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery.
• Robotic-assisted Partial/Radical Laparoscopic Nephrectomy - Using a surgical console, a high-powered vision system, and patient-side robotic instrumentation cart, Academic Urology & Urogynecology of Arizona Urologists guide the movement of robotic arms to remove the kidney and surrounding tissue. As with Laparoscopic Nephrectomy for kidney cancer, robotic surgery is minimally invasive, requiring several small incisions as opposed to the single large incision of an open procedure.

Ureteral Obstructions, Strictures & Cancer

The ureters are tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. When blocked or narrowed, a patient may experience pain or difficulty urinating. If left untreated, a patient risks the loss of a kidney. In rare cases, cancer may form within the cells of the ureter. Offered ureter treatments include:

• Robotic-assisted Pyeloplasty - Using the aid of robotic arms, Urologists remove and repair the ureter obstruction through a series of small incisions.
• Ureterectomy - In cases of Ureteral cancer, a radical or partial ureterectomy (removal of the ureter) may be performed laparoscopically or robotically.
• Ureteral Stenting - To reestablish the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder, a flexible tube known as a stent is placed within the ureter.
• Ureteral Reimplantation - For cases of vesicoureteral reflux, where urine flows back toward the kidney from the bladder as a result of abnormal ureter positioning, the ureter can be surgically moved during a ureteral reimplantation surgery.

To learn more about the conditions of the kidney and our Urologists, click on the links below or schedule a consultation at one of our seven practices conveniently located in Anthem, Buckeye, Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, Sun City West, Litchfield Park, and Wickenburg, Arizona.

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