St Joseph Mercy Hospital introduces laser treatment for kidney stones
The St Joseph Mercy Hospital says it is the first and only hospital in the country with the equipment and expertise to offer laser lithotripsy – treatment for the eradication of kidney stones.
Urologist Dr Rajendra Sukhraj (second from left) with the operating room team
Laser lithotripsy is a procedure to break apart kidney stones in the urinary tract. It is done with a ureteroscope passed into the tubes of the urinary tract. Incisions are not needed. The laser breaks the kidney stones into smaller pieces that can either be removed by the surgeon or passed out of the body in the urine.
It was related that Surgical Associates Guyana, which is based at the Hospital, has introduced the medical technique to Guyana. This technique uses a high-intensity laser beam to pulverise stones through an endoscope.
The first case of a kidney stone treated with the laser in Guyana was a 34-year-old female with a 1.1cm stone the kidney. The patient was successfully treated last Thursday at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital and was discharged within hours of the procedure.
Traditionally, a kidney stone eradication operation would have required an incision in the abdomen, two to three days of hospitalisation and weeks of convalescence.
The surgery was performed by Dr Rajendra Sukhraj, a trained specialist urological surgeon. Dr Sukhraj is experienced in treating kidney stones with the laser. He returned to Guyana one year ago after completing a post-graduate degree in urology at the University of the West Indies.
Surgical Associates Guyana, based at the St Joseph Mercy Hospital, is a group of young Guyanese surgeons who are highly skilled in their respective fields. They have a common mission of providing the Guyanese people with first-world surgical care. This significant investment is a reflection of their commitment to the development of health care in this country.
