For Sahas (name changed), a man in his 50s from Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, what began as a routine ache in his side turned into a grueling 15-month nightmare that nearly cost him a vital organ.
It started with persistent, dull pain in his abdomen and flank. Like many people, Sahas initially tried to tough it out, relying on over-the-counter pain medications for two to three months in the hope that the discomfort would subside. But as the severe pain episodes grew more frequent and intense, he sought formal medical evaluation. Diagnostic imaging scans revealed a daunting diagnosis: a massive 22–23 mm kidney stone lodged high up in his upper ureter. Because the stone had remained stuck for so long, his kidney had become severely swollen and enlarged, stretching and twisting the surrounding ureteral anatomy into complex, sharp bends.
Failed Surgeries and a Distressing Ultimatum
Seeking relief close to home, Sahas underwent two to three surgical attempts by local surgeons attempting to reach and extract the calculus. However, because his ureter had become severely distorted and tortuous, the operating instruments could not navigate the bends to reach the stone.
To relieve the dangerous pressure building inside his swollen kidney and prevent immediate organ failure, doctors performed an emergency procedure: they inserted a Percutaneous Nephrostomy (PCN) tube—an external drainage bag attached directly through a hole in his back.
For 15 long months, Sahas was forced to live with the physical burden and discomfort of an external drainage bag. To make matters worse, his local medical team delivered a heartbreaking ultimatum: if his daily urine output through the tube dropped below one liter, his affected kidney was beyond saving and would have to be completely removed through a total nephrectomy.
“Living with that bag in my back for over a year was unbearable,” Sahas recalls. “Every single day, I was terrified that my kidney was failing. Watching the urine levels in the bag and knowing that surgical failure could mean losing my organ entirely left me in deep despair.”
Determined not to give up, his family members residing in Gurgaon stepped in and arranged an urgent consultation at Jyoti Hospital.
A Smart, Organ-Sparing Strategy at Jyoti Hospital
When Sahas arrived at Jyoti Hospital, the urology team conducted a thorough evaluation. Rather than accepting kidney removal as inevitable, the team developed a specialized, organ-sparing intervention plan.
Instead of attempting to force surgical instruments back up through the severely bent and twisted ureter—which had caused previous operations to fail—the surgical team decided to utilize his existing back tube route as a direct pathway into the kidney. By realigning this direct tract, they could reach the upper ureter safely, break down the 22–23 mm stone using specialized lithotripsy equipment, and place an internal double-J stent to allow natural healing.
Furthermore, the team reassured Sahas that the entire procedure could be performed safely under local anesthesia, completely eliminating the risks and anxiety associated with heavy general or spinal blocks.
15 Minutes to Total Stone Clearance
On the day of the procedure, Sahas was brought into the operating theater and administered a local numbing injection. Kept fully conscious and comfortable, he remained awake throughout the intervention.
Navigating directly through the existing back tract, the surgical team straightened the pathway leading to the upper ureter and reached the impacted 22–23 mm stone. Using high-precision lithotripsy equipment, they fragmented the large calculus into tiny pieces and extracted every single fragment.
Remarkably, the entire surgical intervention was successfully completed in just 15 minutes. Sahas was even able to watch his kidney being cleared in real time on overhead monitor screens without feeling any pain.
Complete Recovery and Total Relief
Following the procedure, follow-up imaging confirmed 100% stone clearance. The team permanently removed the external nephrostomy tube from his back, restoring normal internal urine flow.
Sahas experienced immediate relief from pain, and his affected kidney was completely preserved, permanently lifting the threat of kidney removal. Within a short time, he was walking comfortably and preparing to return home.
“After 15 months of carrying an external bag and living under the shadow of losing my kidney, being completely stone-free in just 15 minutes felt like a miracle,” Sahas says. “The expertise and care of the team at Jyoti Hospital gave me back my health and saved my kidney when I had almost lost hope.”