Dissolving kidney stones

Discussion in 'General Science & Technology' started by cosmictraveler, May 1, 2009.

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  1. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Why not use radio frequency waves to dissolve kidney stones? If the proper frequency and energy level could be found it could dissolve the kidney stones inside the kidney and leave everything else unharmed. Of course you wouldn't want to use frequencies that would destroy other living tissue but the stones are calcium so its frequency will be different that the tissue so nothing should happen to the living tissue if the procedure is done correctly. :shrug:
     
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  3. phlogistician Banned Banned

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    For some stones, ultrasound pulses are used.
     
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  5. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    That only breaks them up making them smaller which still creates pain as they pass through the kidney. My idea would completly dissolve them so no pain would happen. :shrug:
     
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  7. phlogistician Banned Banned

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    To 'dissolve' something you need a solvent. Just heating something up won't necessarily dissolve it, if the liquid that surrounds it can't make a solute.

    It would take many applications of heat, something like a 'gamma knife' and injections of a solvent. IE, it would be time consuming, and very, very expensive.
     
  8. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

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    and very damaging to the surounding tissue, the body doesnt like heat.
     
  9. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    But like with the Gamma Knife, you could locate the stone with a Cat Scan then hit it only there with a very tiny stream of radio frequency waves that would just dissolve the stone with no other tissue damage just as the Knife does already.:shrug:
     
  10. PieAreSquared Woo is resistant to reason Registered Senior Member

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    while they are in the kidney , it's ok.. it when they drop into the tube leading to the bladder and cause blockage.. the kidney back up and that what cause the pain.. believe I'm there right now..fluid , fluid ,fluids.

    Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy..blast em .. has some troubles. I was suppose to have that yesterday..but doc wants me to pass it on my own

    interesting read on the subject.. it's on the rise

    http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/stonesadults/
     
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