What is RIRS Surgery? An Overview
Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) is a popular procedure performed by an endourologist if the patient suffers from kidney stones. In contrast to the cuts or extrarenal shock methods, the RIRS allows physicians to address the kidney using a urinary system. The surgeon can navigate a flexible ureteroscope to identify the stone and then remove it, or further fragment it to allow it to pass through the ureter with less destruction of the tissues which fastens the RIRS surgery recovery time.
These include calcium renal calculi, formed by hard minerals and salt crystals in the kidney. The doctor may opt for a non-invasive treatment mode, or use ultrasonic facilities, or a laser beam for the stone removal, based on the size and location of the kidney stone. Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) is the most reliable and popular kidney stone laser surgery of all the kidney stone cures obtainable. For instance, if you suffer from kidney stones and your doctor advises you to go through an RIRS, it remains your mandate to be conversant with the procedure and the surrounding decisions.
When is RIRS Surgery needed?
Patient self-referral is rare and patients can decide when to undergo RIRS surgery. This may be the only treatment if the kidney stone is big and cannot be treated using Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) or Ureteroscopy (URS). Furthermore, RIRS may be performed where there is small Calcium oxalate (AoKs) situated in an area that cannot be accessed or in cases where general anesthesia cannot be administered.
It can also be applied when the patient has previously undergone ureterorenoscopy and was not proven effective. It is usually applied when there are clinical clues for instance history, physical examination, and investigations including radiological tests by stone specialist.
How to prepare for an RIRS surgery?
It is always more appropriate to talk to the surgeon and get a general idea of what to expect from the surgery regarding the benefits and drawbacks of the operation. Complete the research that is supposed to be done before the surgery. Any blood test, or imaging tests should also be done accordingly. You need to tell your surgeon or stone specialist if you have any allergies.
It is advised to have someone with you in a car after the procedure and to accompany for 24 to 48 hours on arriving home. Before proceeding for surgery, one is supposed to wear loose clothing to the hospital, maybe informal wear.
The RIRS Surgery Procedure: Step-by-Step
1. Preoperative Preparation:
- Consultation and Imaging: Patients receive assessments based on kidney stones’ size, location, and quantity through reviewing results of anthroposcopy or ultrasonography, CT scans, and others.
- Pre-surgical Instructions: Patients are restricted from taking particular medicines and are abstained from food for a few hours before the surgery.
2. Anesthesia:
- General or Spinal Anesthesia: The common anesthesia prescribed in RIRS is general anesthesia although spinal anesthesia can sometimes be used. This ensures no discomfort with the muscles or any form of pain.
3. Access to the Kidney:
- Insertion of Ureteroscope: The surgeon guides a thin and flexible instrument that is a ureteroscope via the urethra, bladder to the ureter, and eventually up to the kidney.
- Navigation and Visualization: That is why a ureteroscope is fitted with a visualizing system that is comprised of a camera that takes images and a light source.
4. Stone Removal or Fragmentation:
- Laser Lithotripsy: If the stones are too large to be removed, a laser is applied to the stones to cause a dent, and smaller pieces are removed.
- Extraction: Small pieces of stone are dislodged with small baskets and big chunks are allowed to pass through the urinary system.
5. Completion and Recovery:
- Stent Placement: A temporary stent is used to guarantee urine flow, and deflate. Depending on the nature of the procedure it is usually shed after a couple of days up to some weeks.
- Monitoring and Recovery: It may require patients to be observed in a recovery room where the effects of anesthesia are detected before being discharged.
Benefits of RIRS Surgery Over Traditional Methods
1. Minimally Invasive:
- Compared to other methods, RIRS does not necessitate making other incisions whose site is often associated with infection and other complications.
2. Reduced Recovery Time:
- It is found that patients observe shorter hospital stays than with open surgery or even extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).
3. Precision:
- The opportunity to directly visually treat a kidney means that all stones are easy to remove, thus increasing the chances for complete stone clearance.
4. Lower Risk of Complications:
- The procedure minimizes trauma to the surrounding tissue, thus making it less painful, decreases blood loss, and lowers post-surgery complications.
5. Suitable for Complex Cases:
- Due to this, RIRS manages stones that may be hard to reach within a kidney, which may not be easily dealt with in other ways.
Who is a Candidate for RIRS Surgery?
RIRS is recommended for patients with:
1. Kidney Stones:
- Especially for people with stones that cannot be easily passed and are also very big.
- Patients who have stones that do not clear through medication, ESWL, or any other non-surgical option.
2. Complex Stone Situations:
- Patients with structural anomalies whereby they cannot undergo standard manipulation to have the stones expelled easily.
3. Failed Previous Treatments:
- Another use of RIRS may be for those patients who have previously tried other surgeries and have got negative results due to the imprecision of the techniques used.
4. Minimally Invasive Preference:
- This is why people shun invasive methods that could take longer time to heal than simple procedures of laser stone removal.
Recovery After RIRS Surgery: Tips and Timeline
1. Immediate Postoperative Period:
- Observation: After surgeries, the patients are observed for a couple of hours to rule out any adverse effects.
- Hydration and Pain Management: Abundant fluid intake is essential, while pain can be controlled with the medications that have been recommended.
2. First Few Days:
- Stent Management: Some possible discomfort or urinary symptoms may be noticed when a stent is put in. A person followed up for his stent removal as advised and had developed chest pain after the stent implantation as a result of recurrent angina.
- Activity: Walking is allowed but running should not be done likewise, one should not travel or dance vigorously.
3. First Week:
- Follow-Up: Another appointment is often arranged to ensure that the wound is healing properly and if applicable, to have the stent removed.
- Hydration: It is not uncommon for patients to be advised to drink to assist the kidneys in expelling any residual stone particles.
4. First Month:
- Gradual Return to Normal Activities: However, simple work and most daily activities should be handled after a week whereas it takes at least two to three weeks to handle the heavy tasks and exercises.
- Monitoring for Complications: If you receive any injections, monitor symptoms of infection, including fever, chills, and severe pain, and inform your healthcare provider promptly if any of these are present.
Long-Term Care:
- Lifestyle Adjustments: Sometimes, the doctor may advise the patient to maintain certain dietary and lifestyle changes in order not to develop another kidney stone.
- Regular Check-Ups: In addition to the above, the patient may require conducting imaging tests periodically to check that no other stones are being formed.
Tips for a Smooth Recovery
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking more water to ensure the bowel and the urinary system clear out is advisable. Drinking water is healthy and has no RIRS surgery side effects.
- Follow Medication Guidelines: Adhere to all given prescriptions and self-medication with pain relievers and antibiotics to control pain and infection respectively.
- Avoid Heavy Lifting: Non-physically demanding tasks at work should be avoided as much as possible for at least two weeks to allow the body to recover.
- Healthy Diet: Take five servings of vegetables and fruits daily and avoid foods that may cause gallstone formation.
- Regular Follow-Ups: Ensure that you follow all the appointments with your urologist to heal and non-recurrence can be observed.
What happens after an RIRS surgery?
A patient who has been administered Retrograde IntraRenal Surgery (RIRS) is observed after the procedure, and it is required that the patient be held in the hospital for one to two days. Although there may be some discomfort for a few hours, the endoscopy sometimes can cause some soreness at the place of the scope’s insertion and the patient may be given some painkillers.
One may also take antibodies to ensure they do not fall sick easily. Generally, a person can go back to their work and wherever else they feel they need to be in a couple of days, however, they should avoid strenuous activities for about one to two weeks. After the treatment, the patient should see the urologist to find out if there are complications.
Conclusion
This blog highlights RIRS surgery, RIRS surgery recovery time, and RIRS surgery side effects. RIRS Surgery is a revolutionary way of performing surgery over traditional methods of removing kidney stones since it is considered less invasive. Knowledge of the procedure, the procedure’s benefits, and the recovery process allow the patients to create a positive attitude and make the proper choices to enhance the results. Long-term monitoring and changes in daily habits are a major part of avoiding the recurrence and maintaining the overall body’s well-being. Feel free to contact Theurethraclinic, we always strive to help you and we will give you our best knowledge.
