What is lithotripsy?
碎石疗法是一种医疗程序，用于治疗其他器官（例如胆囊或肝脏）中某些类型的肾结石和石头。
肾结石发生时，当您的尿液中的矿物质和其他物质在肾脏中结晶，形成固体或石头时。这些可能由小型，锋利的晶体或类似于抛光的河岩石的较重的层层组成。他们通常在排尿期间自然退出您的身体。
However, sometimes your body can’t pass larger formations through urination. This can lead to kidney damage. People with kidney stones may experience bleeding, severe pain, or urinary tract infections. When stones begin to cause these types of problems, your doctor may suggest lithotripsy.
碎石疗法使用声波将大型肾结石分解为较小的碎片。这些声波也称为高能冲击波。写岩石疗法的最常见形式是体外休克波碎石（ESWL）。
Extracorporeal means “outside the body.” In this case, it refers to the source of the shock waves. During ESWL, a special machine called a lithotripter generates the shock waves. The waves travel into your body and break apart the stones.
自1980年代初以来，ESWL就一直存在。它迅速取代了手术，作为大型肾结石的首选治疗方法。ESWL是一种无创方法，这意味着它不需要手术。与入侵程序相比，非侵入性程序通常更安全，更容易从中恢复。
碎石疗法takes about 45 minutes to an hour to perform. You’ll likely be given some form of anesthesia (local, regional, or general) so you don’t experience any pain.
After the procedure, stone debris is removed from your kidneys or ureter, the tube leading from your kidney to your bladder, through urination.
重要的是要告诉您的医生任何处方药，非处方药或您服用的补充剂。某些药物，例如阿司匹林（Bufferin），布洛芬（Advil）和Warfarin（香豆素）或其他血液稀释剂，可能会干扰您的血液正确凝结的能力。
您的医生可能会要求您在手术前停止服用这些药物。但是，除非您的医生告诉您，否则不要停止服用您的处方药。
有些人在局部麻醉下患有碎石疗法，这使该区域难以防止疼痛。但是，大多数人都在全身麻醉下进行了程序，这使他们在手术过程中入睡。如果您要进行全身麻醉，您的医生可能会告诉您在手术前至少六个小时不要喝或吃任何东西。
如果您在全身麻醉下进行ESWL，请计划在手术后开车或家人开车回家。全身麻醉可能会使您在写岩石疗法后昏昏欲睡，因此直到效果完全磨损之前，您都不应该开车。
碎石疗法is usually done on an outpatient basis. This means that you’ll go to the hospital or clinic on the day of the procedure and leave the same day.
Before the procedure, you change into a hospital gown and lie on an exam table on top of a soft, water-filled cushion. This is where you remain while the procedure is performed. You’re then given medicine to sedate you and antibiotics to fight infection.
在碎石术期间，高能量冲击波将通过您的身体，直到它们到达肾结石。波浪将把石头分成很小的碎片，可以轻松地通过您的尿液系统。
手术后，您将花费大约两个小时的康复时间，然后将其送回家。在某些情况下，您可能会过夜住院。计划在手术后花一到两天在家里休息。岩石疗法后几周喝大量水也是一个好主意。这将帮助您的肾脏冲洗出任何剩余的石材碎片。
Like most procedures, some risks are involved in lithotripsy.
您可能会经历内部出血，需要输血。当石头碎片阻塞肾脏流出时，您可以发展感染甚至肾脏损伤。该过程会损坏您的肾脏，并且在手术后可能无法正常工作。
The outlook is generally good for people with kidney stones. Recovery may vary depending on the number and size of the stones, but lithotripsy can usually remove them completely. In some cases, additional treatments may be needed. While lithotripsy works very well for most people, there’s a chance that the stones will return.
