Medium-sized kidney stones are usually removed by __________?

Kidney stones, also called renal calculi, are hard mineral deposits that form inside the kidneys when salts and waste products in urine become highly concentrated. Their size can vary, and the method of treatment depends largely on how big the stones are. Small stones may pass naturally through urine, but larger stones often require medical intervention.

Lithotripsy is a common medical technique used for the removal of medium-sized kidney stones. The word “lithotripsy” comes from Greek, where litho means “stone” and tripsis means “to crush.” The procedure uses shock waves directed from outside the body to break kidney stones into tiny pieces. These smaller fragments can then pass through the urinary tract more easily with urine flow.

Other options in the question represent different medical processes:

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  Dialysis: This is not for kidney stones but for patients with kidney failure. It removes waste products and excess fluids from the blood when kidneys cannot perform the function.

  
  


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  Excretion: Refers to the natural elimination of waste products from the body, including urine. Small stones may be excreted naturally, but medium stones usually cannot pass without medical help.

  
  


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  Laser treatment: In some cases, doctors use laser lithotripsy to break down larger stones, but the more common and less invasive approach for medium-sized stones is shock wave lithotripsy.

  
  

Lithotripsy is widely preferred because it is non-invasive, avoids surgical risks, and has a high success rate for stones in the kidney and upper urinary tract. However, patients may need follow-up treatment or medication to help pass the stone fragments.

In conclusion, medium-sized kidney stones are best removed using lithotripsy, which safely breaks stones into smaller particles for natural excretion.