The stones in the kidney of Sila baby, who suffered from kidney stone pain right after she was born, were detected only 1 year later. Kidney stones of the baby, who had frequent fevers and urinary tract infections, were fragmented in the kidney chambers without surgery and pain through the holmium laser method, which is a new modality. Sila baby, the little daughter of Ahmet and Hacer Karacan couple from Ankara, fought fever and urinary tract infections, which are common in children, for a year. Exactly 1 year later, 2 stones measured 1 cm were detected in her kidney and urinary tract. Doctors recommended open surgery as the only way for congenital kidney stones, which are rare in babies. Sila baby already had loss of appetite and developmental retardation due to kidney stones and her parents did not consent to the surgery. Researching different treatment methods, the parents discovered the holmium laser method, which has just begun to be applied both in the world and in Turkey. Through this laser method, which was applied in 3 centers in Turkey, 2 in Ankara and 1 in Istanbul, the stone in the urinary bladder was removed first, and 20 days later, the other stone in the kidney chamber was fragmented. Op. Dr. Mustafa Kirac, a urologist in Koru Hospital, said that Sila baby the baby got a kidney stone genetically from her mother. Stating that the laser operation performed for Sila is a new method both in the world and in Turkey, Op. Dr. Kirac said that in this new application, stones in the kidney chambers are fragmented with holmium laser with a bendable, flexible endoscopic device.

No Scar Or Risk

Stating that the method used in adults for about 2 years has only a few sample applications in infants and children, Kirac said, “Stones can occur in infants and children due to genetics or unbalanced nutrition such as excessive protein intake. Until now, open surgery with a 10 cm incision was required for the removal of the stone in the kidney. However, this was a very risky method for the kidney and very difficult to recover. Thanks to the new method, we can fragment the stone with laser beam without the risk of scarring and infection”.