Kidney Stone Program

Stone disease

Stone disease, also called urolithiasis, is a painful and common urologic disorder with more than one million kidney stone cases diagnosed each year. Kidney stones form in the kidney, and ureteral stones are kidney stones that move into the ureter. Once a patient develops a stone, there is a 50 percent risk of recurrence within five years and an 80 percent risk of stones returning within 10 years.

Mass General Brigham provides the most advanced diagnostic technologies and treatment strategies available for treating kidney and uretral stones in adults. Our board-certified urologic surgeons have successfully treated thousands of patients using innovative, minimally invasive procedures such as stone ablation with shock waves and endoscopic or percutaneous surgery to break up and extract stones — proven options that are safe, speed recovery time and reduce recurrence.

Our urology practice consists of board-certified urologic surgeons and a supportive clinical and administrative staff who work as one cohesive team to provide the best possible care for each patient. In addition, patients have full access to Mass General Brigham's world-renowned academic medical centers in Boston with its multidisciplinary specialists and state-of-the-art facilities.

Part of Urology

Comprehensive kidney stone program

The Kidney Stone Program at Mass General Brigham was designed out of the need to deliver comprehensive team base care for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of kidney stones. We have the latest technological innovation for diagnosis and treatment and have a comprehensive metabolic evaluation program for prevention of recurrent stones. Members of our team are available 24 hours a day for consultation.

The goal of the Kidney Stone Program is to provide a multidisciplinary approach to patients with kidney stones with the collaboration of colleagues in kidney care nutrition to help minimize the risk of recurrent kidney stones. In addition, collaboration with colleagues in radiology helps to provide the most advanced surgical care for treatment and removal of stones from the urinary tract in the most complex situations.

Surgical procedures performed

• Cystoscopy with stent placement for emergent decompression of infected kidney
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy with:
  - Laser lithotripsy
  - Pneumatic lithotripsy
  - Ultrasonic lithotripsy
• Shock wave lithotripsy

Preventative strategies

• Dietary lifestyle changes
• Metabolic evaluations to understand why stones are formed
• Medical management to prevent stone formation
• Screening ultrasound
• Stone analysis to guide therapy