“We see many people have stones that don’t even know that they have them and the stones are discovered incidentally,” said Dr. Lipson.

These stones are too large to pass and cannoxt effectively be treated with the same method as smaller stones. Instead, these larger stones are treated through a procedure called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), which is a treatment that fragments kidney stones without the need for surgery. In this procedure, shockwaves are transmitted through the skin and shatter the stone with little effect on surrounding tissue. Its variable shockwave frequency and multiple power levels allow for efficient treatment of kidney stones with less pain for patients.

“It’s a safe procedure that takes about 30 minutes. It’s usually done as an outpatient procedure,” said Dr. Lipson. There may be some discomfort and patients may receive some anesthesia but no surgery is required and patients are able to return home following the procedure.

“They’re asked not to engage in strenuous behavior for 24 hours, but that’s it,” he said.

Photo provided by UP Health System - Portage Shown is a Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy machine like the one found at UP Health System - Portage in Hancock. The machine is used to help patients with kidney and bladder stones.

Some benefits of the ESWL procedure include less pain, non-invasive, less time spent in the hospital, low radiation exposure, and shorter treatment times. The only downside regarding this technology was that it hasn’t been available at UPHS-Portage.

“If we had patients who needed it, we had to send them elsewhere,” said Lipson.

Some patients were sent as far away as Escanaba, Iron Mountain, or Sault St. Marie.

However, UPHS – Portage recently completed a four-year application process to have access to the technology at their Hancock campus.

“Michigan has requirements that for a hospital to get access to this technology they have to prove that it’s too difficult for patients to access otherwise,” said Dr. Lipson.

Now that UPHS-Portage has completed the process, the first procedures will be carried out this week.

“This technology will allow us to treat more types of stones than we have in the past … this is the first time that this kind of technology has been available at Portage,” said Lipson. “We have a backlog of people who are waiting on this procedure.”

Kidney and bladder stones can be prevented in most people by maintaining a balanced diet and staying hydrated. Depending on other factors, this may not be enough, making regular visits with a primary care provider important for avoiding stones when possible and treating them when necessary.

Dr. Lipson offers urological services for disorders of the kidney, bladder, urinary tract, and male reproductive organs. UPHS – Portage sees patients for many conditions including urinary disorders, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, urologic cancers, urinary incontinence, and more. To learn more about UPHS – Portage and Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), call 906-483-1040 or visit PortageHealth.org.

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