The Kidney Stone Center and Endoscopic Surgery Unit of the Department of Urology receives patients with calculi along the urinary tract. The primary treatments provided by the Center include extracorporeal treatment using the Shock-Wave Lithotriptor (SWL) and Endoscopic Stone Removal.
For SWL treatment, we use the Dornier Lithotriptor - DL 50, one of the most powerful and effective lithotriptor's on the market. The treatment is ambulatory and performed on an outpatient basis requiring only mild sedation. Routinely, the patient goes home just two hours after treatment. Two weeks after treatment the patient has a follow metabolic evaluation through our outpatient clinic to determine the reason for stone formation and to prevent recurrent stones.
We treat stones all along the urinary tract, as well as the kidney and ureter. During the last three years we have tripled the number of treatments to more than 500 patients per year.
Patients who are not candidates for SWL are referred for stone removal via an Endourological procedure. Using a variety of modern fiberoptics, we are able to get into the urinary tract without the need for surgery and treat the stone. Our two primary methods are Ureteroscopy and Percutaneous Renal Surgery (PCNL). Ureteroscopy is performed under regional or general anesthesia using a very small caliber endoscope to reach the stone from below, namely, getting into the ureter from the urinary bladder and going up to the stone. Once the stone is reached, it is then fragmented into tiny fragments that are later washed out. This procedure is done using the Holmium Laser that is delivered to the stone through special fibers.
PCNL is done when the stone is too large for SWL (> 20 - 25mm) or staghorn stones. The operation is done under general anesthesia. The Fiberoptic Endoscope is introduced into the kidney, through a 10mm hole in the back.
Using modern hi- tech Laser and Ultrasonic equipment, the big stone is fragmented intracorporealy and removed through that tiny hole. The patient is discharged from hospital two days later and returns to work in a couple of days.
We also perform endoscopic surgery for urinary malignancies and repair of congenital anomalies of the urinary tract.
We perform about 300 endoscopic operations per year.
The Kidney Stone Center's outpatient clinic is open three times a week and sees about 250 patients per month. Patients are referred to the Center from all over the country for a thorough metabolic evaluation for stone disease.
The Center is also involved in clinical and basic science research on genetic and epidemiological studies related to stone formation and stone formers, metabolism, and prevention.
The Center has a strong academic role providing teaching programs for medical students and urology residents.
| Unit at a Glance |
| Number of Outpatient Visits per Year - 1,050 |
| Number of Stone Crushing - 500 |
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Director - Dr. Harry Z. Winkler
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| Address - The Goldshleger Center for Advanced Technologies |
| E-mail - bel1@sheba.health.gov.il |
| Tel - Tel - 972-3–530-2221 | |
