What are the treatment options for kidney stones and bladder stones?

Treatment methods for kidney and bladder stones mainly include: 1. Kidney stones: - Natural passage: Suitable for small stones with a diameter less than 0.5 cm; increased water intake, frequent urination, and physical activity are recommended to facilitate stone passage. - Medical expulsive therapy: For stones approximately 0.6 cm in diameter, medications may be used to assist in stone expulsion. - Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL): Suitable for patients with stones measuring 0.5-2 cm in diameter; stones are fragmented using extracorporeal lithotripsy and then expelled. - Minimally invasive surgery: For stones larger than 2 cm in diameter or stones that are too hard to be fragmented, minimally invasive surgical procedures can be used to remove the stones. 2. Bladder stones: - Transurethral cystolithotripsy: Suitable for small, loosely structured stones; ultrasound or laser energy is used to fragment the stones. - Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL): Suitable for stones approximately 2 cm in diameter. - Open surgery: For large stones or cases accompanied by other bladder diseases, open surgical treatment may be selected. The choice of treatment should be determined based on the specific characteristics of the stone and individual patient factors.