Stone Disease
The Department of Urology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center offers comprehensive care for patients with kidney and ureteral stones; ureteral strictures; ureteropelvic junction obstruction; and tumors of the kidney, adrenal glands, renal collecting system and ureters. Surgical procedures include percutaneous and ureteroscopic stone removal, anatrophic nephrolithotomy, endoureterotomy, endopyelotomy, shock wave lithotripsy, complex ureteral reconstructive procedures such as ureterocalicostomy and ileal ureter, and various laparoscopic operations including radical nephrectomy, donor nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, nephroureterectomy, pyelosplasty, and adrenalectomy. State-of-the-art technology available at the Medical Center includes intuitive robot, holmium lasers, pneumatic lithotriptors, and flexible ureteroscopes, all of which facilitate safe, effective minimally invasive surgery.
We provide metabolic evaluation of patients with recurrent or complex kidney stone problems. These patients receive dietary counseling and many may be prescribed medications to limit or eradicate further stone activity. Patients with rare inherited diseases such as cystinuria and primary hyperoxaluria (oxalosis) may benefit from our state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment programs.
In addition, we usually conduct a number of clinical research studies in which eligible patients can participate. Lois Hart is the research coordinator (336-716-5694).
We are involved in basic science research and have a long history of continuous N.I.H. support. The primary areas of research are dietary oxalate, endogenous oxalate synthesis, renal oxalate handling, primary hyperoxaluria, and the genetics of calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis.