What to do if the stone is not broken

If stones are not broken by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, the patient is recommended to be hospitalized for surgical treatment. For stones that stay longer than 4 weeks, or repeated extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy at the same site more than 4 times without any change in the stone, surgical treatment is required. Patients can choose various minimally invasive surgical treatments, such as holmium laser lithotripsy with percutaneous nephrolithoscopy and holmium laser lithotripsy with ureteroscopy, or they can consider local incision and stone extraction to completely remove stones from the body and prevent the formation of adhesions, infection or causing hydronephrosis and renal function damage. It is recommended to go to the hospital for detailed examination and evaluation to first determine the size and location of the stone and whether it is combined with hydronephrosis, and choose the appropriate surgical procedure. In case of stones in the lower segment, ureteroscopic Holmium laser lithotripsy can be chosen, while in case of stones in the upper ureter and kidney, percutaneous nephrolithoscopic Holmium laser lithotripsy is required to completely break up the stones and remove them from the body. For the presence of huge stones in the body, incision for stone extraction can be considered.