In the city of Ho Chi Minh, a man named Mr. An, who is 74 years old and hails from Dong Nai, had been struggling with a urinary tract infection that persisted for a long time. After visiting the doctor, he discovered a large mass of coral stones in his left kidney, measuring 10×5 cm with branches resembling ginger root. This was the reason why his infection had not been cured.
Six years ago, Mr. An had a small stone in his left kidney but did not seek treatment for occasional pain in his back and hips. Recently, he developed a fever and chills, leading to a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection. Despite three weeks of antibiotic treatment, his condition did not improve, prompting him to visit Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for further examination.
Specialist II Pham Thanh Truc from the Department of Urology identified the mass of coral stones in Mr. An’s left kidney during his examination at the hospital. Due to the complex structure of the stones, traditional open surgery posed risks to his kidney function. Percutaneous lithotripsy, a less invasive and more modern approach, was chosen for his treatment.
During the percutaneous lithotripsy procedure at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, small tools were inserted through a tiny “tunnel” in Mr. An’s back to break up and remove the stones. This approach was less damaging to his kidney function and allowed for a quicker recovery than traditional open surgery would have allowed for complete removal of the stones while preserving his health.
After two sessions of percutaneous lithotripsy treatments at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. An’s kidney function was preserved and he was discharged from the hospital two days after the procedure.
Dr. Truc emphasized that regular health check-ups are essential to prevent complications from kidney stones particularly coral stones which can grow silently over time without causing typical symptoms.
To prevent coral stones Dr Truc recommends staying hydrated by drinking enough water daily or consuming teas such as cranberry juice or barley tea; avoiding certain foods that are high in oxalates such as chocolate or peanuts; limiting alcohol intake as it can increase oxalate levels; avoiding holding urine for too long as this can trap bacteria that cause urinary tract infection (UTI).
