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Amarachi Okeh
The Head of the Urology Department, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Odunayo Ikuerowo, on Friday urged more preventive measures against kidney stones, noting that cases of people suffering from the health condition are becoming more common.
Speaking at the launch of a newly acquired Lithotripsy machine for the treatment of kidney stones at the hospital, Ikurerowo disclosed that four to five patients present with the condition weekly at the hospital.
Kidney stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys.
The Consultant Urologist, therefore, urged people to drink water to avoid dehydration that leads to the conditions amongst other preventive measures.
The introduction of the new equipment, he noted, would make treatment of kidney stones more accessible and affordable than what is presently obtainable in private hospitals.
Speaking further at the launch of the equipment donated by Hon. Idowu Obasa, Ikuerowo said the new equipment would greatly reduce the need to perform surgical operations in persons suffering from the disease.
He also noted that it would make the treatment of kidney stones less bloody and less time-consuming.
“It is an important equipment because before now if someone has kidney stones, we have to open the patient up and lift the kidney out to be able to remove that stone and you know kidney stone occurs most times not just once.
“It can keep recurring so you don’t want a situation where you keep opening the patient up when he has a stone so with this equipment you don’t need any opening.
“You just go through the opening the person urinates from, put the laser through on the stone, and break the stones into powder. So instead of the patient staying one week, he’d just stay overnight and he is home.”
Dignitaries in attendance at the launch of the equipment were the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; LASUTH CMD, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo; LASUTH Board Chairman, Dr. Richardson Ajayi; Hon. Idowu Obasa and other members of the LAUSTH community.
Speaking also at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi said the equipment is the first Lithotripsy machine in the public sector of Nigeria.
The Lithotripsy machine treats kidney stones by generating shock waves that melt the stones in the stomach instead of the usual surgical procedure.
The CMD of LASUTH, Fabamwo, stated that the equipment will reduce the need to perform surgical procedures in the body of a patient suffering from kidney stones.
He said, “We are the only public hospital in the whole of Nigeria that will have this kind of machine and the advantage of using this kind of machine is that we will avoid the surgical operations for patients who need to have stones removed either from the kidney or the gallbladder or even from the urinary bladder.
“The Lithotripsy machine breaks down kidney stones, and gall bladder stones in the body so no need for a surgical incision, no prolonged hospital stay, no prolonged antibiotics, and no need for hospital personnel to look after the patient.
“The machine dissolves the stones and they would be passed out normally from the body. It prevents patients from spending so much time in the hospital.”
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