What should I do if I have antler-type stones?

  Female patient with antler-shaped stone in the left kidney and a single stone in the right kidney. Very painful. Has typical symptoms of renal colic. She was afraid of open surgery.  She asked: Is there any good solution? Is it possible not to operate? Can I get a lithotripsy?  A: The left side needs surgery; the right side can be lithotripsy.  Q: How is the surgery done?  A: We do an “eye” surgery, without an incision. Through the “eye”, a mirror (nephroscope) is put in to break the stone under direct vision and remove the stone.  Q: Is it very painful?  A: It requires anesthesia. It doesn’t hurt!  Two weeks passed and the patient was happily discharged.  She told her friend that she had a percutaneous nephrolithoscopy to remove the stone from her left kidney; and she had a lithotripsy treatment for her right kidney at the same time, and now there are no stones on both sides.  This is a real case.  An antler-shaped stone is a kidney stone that is very large and occupies the renal pelvis and part or all of the renal calyces. In the past, an operation was required, but now there is a minimally invasive surgical method to remove the stone by just making a small eye. The damage to the patient is very minimal. Of course, it is still invasive.