Kidney stone surgery side effects are usually mild and temporary. The most common side effects include mild pain, burning during urination, light blood in the urine, frequent urination, and fatigue. These symptoms often improve within a few days. Serious complications such as infection, heavy bleeding, difficulty passing urine, or severe pain are uncommon but require immediate medical attention. Most patients recover well after minimally invasive procedures like URS, RIRS, and laser kidney stone surgery.
What Are the Side Effects of Kidney Stone Surgery?
Mild pain and burning sensation during urination, light blood in the urine, increased urination, and moderate fatigue are some common side effects after a kidney stone surgery. These complications normally resolve in a few days. If you experience any of the following complications, you should see your urologist: severe pain, bleeding, fever, difficulty urinating.
Understanding Kidney Stone Surgery
Kidney stones can be a painful affliction. At times, surgery may be necessary. While persistent stones may eventually leave the body, some require intervention. Luckily, surgery has advanced, and now many procedures require little more than a day in the hospital.
Kidney stone surgery may include some of the following:
Ureteroscopy (URS): This procedure requires a scope to be inserted in order to break the stone with a laser.
Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS): This surgery requires much more flexibility, as nothing can be outside of the body.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL): Of all these procedures, this requires the most surgery, as an incision has to be made in the patient's back. This is only for larger stones, though.
Laser Kidney Stone Surgery: Further, lasers are often used in these procedures.
The Side Effects of Kidney Stone Surgery will depend on the stone and the patient, among other factors.
Common Kidney Stone Surgery Side Effects
Most patients recover well after kidney stone removal. Side effects tend to diminish as the body heals.
Mild Pain or Discomfort
Mild pain can be felt around the kidney, in the bladder, and/or in the lower abdomen. More than likely, this is just tissue irritation, fragments of stones, or the stent. Pain medication may be prescribed to increase comfort while healing.
Burning While Urinating
At least for some time after URS, burning with urination is expected. Stenting will increase the duration of this burning. This will taper off in a few days as the healing urinary tract restores itself. Continue to drink water to lessen irritation.
Blood in the Urine
Light pink or slightly red urine may be seen for a short time after surgery. This occurs because the urinary tract was irritated during the surgery. The bleeding eases with good hydration and rest.
Frequent Urination and Urgency
While you have a ureteral stent, the need to urinate frequently and urgently may occur. This can be quite uncomfortable, but it will go away quickly after the stent is removed.
Fatigue
Light to moderate fatigue is expected after surgery for several days. Anaesthesia, discomfort, and the body’s healing all leave less energy after surgery. Most people return to full energy in about a week after any minimally invasive surgery.
Kidney Stone Surgery Complications: When Side Effects Become Serious
Certain complications from kidney stone surgery can be serious. Recognizing the signs can reduce the risk of serious health issues.
Infection
Infections can occur after surgery if bacteria enter the urinary tract. This leads to:
Fever over 38°C
Chills
Burning during urination becomes worse
Urine becomes cloudy and has a foul odor
Infections need to be treated with antibiotics quickly to reduce the risk of the infection spreading.
Heavy Bleeding
A small amount of bleeding is to be expected. However, heavy bleeding and large blood clots are abnormal. Bleeding of this magnitude should be evaluated by your urologist.
Severe or Continued Pain
All pain should be getting less and less after surgery. Pain that is getting worse and/or pain that is unresponsive to the prescribed pain medications should be evaluated as soon as possible to rule out a blockage, infection, and/or other complications.
Difficulty with Urination
If you cannot urinate or there is a drastic drop in your normal urine output, you should call your doctor. This could range from swelling to blockage to blood clots.
Ureter Injury (Rare)
Injuries to the ureter (the kidney to bladder tube) can occur very infrequently during surgery. This is unusual, but if it happens, diagnosis and treatment as early as possible leads to a good prognosis.
Factors That Can Increase the Risk of Side Effects
Recovery varies from one person to another and there are certain things that determine the degree of the adverse side effects and the recovery period.
Such aspects include:
Type of surgery done for the removal of kidney stones
Size of the stone
Location of the stone
Existence of urinary tract infections
Diabetes or any other medical condition
Functioning of the kidney
Age of the patient
Smoking habit
Non-compliance with post-operative care instructions
Those people who are compliant with the doctor’s recommendations have a more comfortable recovery process.
Kidney Stone Surgery Recovery: How to Reduce Side Effects
Although your doctor will give you personalized instructions, here are some suggestions that might make the procedure easier and speed up recovery time.
Drink enough water in order to have an active urination process and eliminate small stones from your body.
Take prescribed painkillers and antibiotics.
Move around a little bit every day to improve your blood flow and prevent clotting.
Do not lift any heavy things and do not do any physical exercises until your doctor tells you to do so.
Maintain a healthy diet.
In case there is a ureteral stent, listen to your doctor’s advice about it.
Visit all your follow-up visits.
The majority of patients who go through URS, RIRS or laser kidney stone removal surgery usually get back to their normal routine within several days. Recovery after PCNL may take some more time due to a small incision.
When Should You Contact a Urologist?
As some side effects can be expected, none should be overlooked.
Call for help if you have any of these:
Chills, fever
Pain that is severe and/or getting worse
Urine containing large blood clots and/or excessive amounts of blood and/or passes urine with difficulty
Nausea/vomiting that does not go away
Swelling and/or redness gets worse at the PCNL surgical site
Any symptoms that get worse instead of better
To help avoid complications and speed recovery, it is best to get treatment sooner rather than later.
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Conclusion
Most kidney stone surgery side effects are temporary and improve as the body heals. Mild pain, burning during urination, light blood in the urine, frequent urination, and fatigue are common after procedures such as URS, RIRS, PCNL, or laser kidney stone surgery. However, symptoms like high fever, heavy bleeding, severe pain, or difficulty passing urine should never be ignored, as they may indicate a complication that requires prompt medical attention.
Following your urologist’s post-operative instructions, staying well-hydrated, taking prescribed medications, and attending follow-up appointments can help ensure a smooth recovery. If you experience persistent symptoms after kidney stone surgery or need expert guidance for recovery, consult Dr. Anuj Arora, Best Urologist in Greater Noida, for personalized care and advanced kidney stone treatment.
