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Adrenal & Kidney Conditions
405-271-6452
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OU Physicians at Edmond [ Driving Directions ]

Utilizing the Latest Innovations and Technologies

There are a number of different diseases and conditions that affect the kidneys ranging from an infection to cancer. OU Physicians urologists provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment for all of them using the latest innovations and technologies available.

The information below explains just a few of the conditions and treatment methods available through OU Physicians for:

• Kidney & Urinary Tract Stones
• Kidney Cancer
• End-stage Renal Disease
  

Kidney & Urinary Tract Stones

The kidneys filter waste products from the blood and add them to the urine produced by the kidneys. When the waste materials don't completely dissolve, they often develop into hardened mineral deposits (kidney stones). OU Physicians Urology will evaluate your symptoms to determine if you have stones.

Symptoms

• Pain in the lower back, side or groin
• Blood in the urine
• Frequent urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain, stinging or burning during urination
• Tenderness in the abdomen or kidney region
• Urinary tract infection

Treatment Options

OU Physicians urologists treatment for kidney stones aim to not only make the patient stone-free but also to prevent future recurrence of stones. Treatment depends on multiple variables including the size and type of stone, underlying cause, presence of urinary infection and recurrence. OU Physicians urologists may recommend the following options to treat kidney stones as well as evaluate you for prevention of future kidney stone formation:

• Dietary changes
• Medication
• Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy -- non-surgical procedure to break up large stones allowing them to pass through the urinary tract
• Ureteroscopy -- (also known as laser stone surgery) the stone is viewed through a scope so it can be removed or broken up with a laser
• Percutaneous renal surgery -- a process for locating and removing larger stones

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Kidney Cancer

With timely diagnosis and treatment, kidney cancer can be cured. However, many kidney tumors do not produce symptoms, so it is important for those in high-risk categories (those with Von Hippel Lindau disease or tuberous sclerosis) to have routine screenings. If you have any of the risk factors listed below and are experiencing pain in your side between the hip and ribs, feel an obvious mass in that area or see blood in your urine, see an OU Physicians urologist for a thorough evaluation.

Risk Factors

• Smoking
• Family history of kidney cancer
• Polycystic kidney disease
• Chronic kidney failure and/or dialysis
• Diet with high caloric intake of fried/sauteed meat
• Low vitamin E intake
• Diuretic use
• Von Hippel Lindau disease
• Tuberous sclerosis
• Exposure to asbestos, blast furnaces and ovens used in iron/steel manufacturing

Treatment Options

As with any cancer, the course of treatment depends on the size and scope of the cancer. Minimally invasive surgical options offered by OU Physicians Urology include:

• Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy -- removal of the portion of the kidney affected by the tumor
• Laparoscopic nephrectomy -- removal of the entire affected kidney
• Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy -- removal of the kidney and ureter
• Laparoscopic cryotherapy -- freezing of the tumor to destroy it

Because the laparoscopic procedures require that patients be under anesthesia for a longer period of time, open or traditional surgery (requiring a much larger single incision) is sometimes necessary when other health concerns are an overriding factor.

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End-stage Renal Disease

End-stage renal disease -- or kidney failure -- is most commonly caused by diabetes, high blood pressure, cystic kidneys or glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney's filtering units).

Treatment Options

The most common treatment for end-stage renal disease is dialysis, but about 30 percent of sufferers are suitable candidates for a kidney transplant. OU Physicians Urology has one of the few physicians in the state specializing in kidney transplantation.

During the procedure, a kidney from a donor is transplanted into the patient. A living donor can live a healthy life after donating one kidney to a loved one. The kidney can be removed through laparoscopic or open surgery. Following a successful kidney transplant, patients generally recover approximately 75 percent kidney function, 60 percent more than is needed to stay off dialysis.

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