Having tried all kinds of pain medications, many chronic kidney stone patients experience pain so severe that only opioids can relieve. However, with the strict controls on opioid use in the USA, they often report being treated like junkies when requesting them at the emergency department.
How can we balance the need for controls with the need to provide relief to kidney stone patients in extreme pain?
In a study of practising urologists across the U.S, researchers from Mayo Clinic Arizona found that #burnout was associated with >51 hour work weeks, taking call and using multiple electronic medical records (EMRs). This can lead to medical errors, poorer quality of care and decreased patient satisfaction.
As resilience and a team player approach were identified as protective factors, healthcare institutions should enforce a positive work culture and enhance their mindfulness programs to better support their #urologists.
Read more here: Personality Traits and Burnout: A Survey of Practicing US Urologists
Burst wave lithotripsy (BWL), an innovative new technique, may be a more efficient and accessible option in non-invasive kidney stone treatment.
According to a human study led by @UW’s Jonathan Harper, MD, 90% of stones were fragmented into pieces smaller than 2mm in under 10 minutes, with negligible tissue injury. Unlike ESWL, BWL uses short harmonic bursts of ultrasound energy to fragment stones, potentially eliminating the need for sedation or anaesthesia.
Many patients from our community are suffering from extreme pain caused by ureteral calcifications. Calcifications can be caused by displaced #kidneystones lodged in the ureteral walls when passing. However, it may also be indicative of other severe diseases such as tuberculosis, schistosomiasis and even tumors*. To uncover the causes of ureteral calcifications, urologists can consider conducting a urography.
*Source: Calcified Renal Masses
According to Sirikan Rojanasarot, Ph.D., and Amy E. Krambeck, M.D., the use of stents with extraction strings for uncomplicated ureteroscopies is a safe and economical option. Leaving a string in place allows patients to remove their stents independently, eliminating the need for additional procedures while maintaining similar outcomes.
Presenting self-removal stents as a safe and economical option can help #urologists allay patient concerns and save on healthcare resources.
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