Patient's question:
Patient: My father is 57 and hasn't been able to urinate for a week. A stone is blocking the urethra. The hospital found it to be the size of a peanut. He had one extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) treatment, but the stone didn't break out. The doctor recommended another ESWL treatment in 10 days. Now he is worried that the stone is getting bigger. He hopes to get some advice from a doctor on how to proceed. Should he see a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor? What should he pay attention to?Doctor's answer:
Alright, this extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is not very effective. Multiple ESWL sessions are not only ineffective but also costly.Recommendation: I suggest you undergo a minimally invasive ureteroscopy surgery. This procedure is more expensive, generally around 7,000 yuan. If you have medical insurance or a cooperative medical program, you can get quite a bit reimbursed. You don’t need to see a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. If the stone is too large, surgery should be performed as soon as possible. Don’t delay it, as prolonged retention can damage kidney function. Wishing you a speedy recovery.