The Regional Kidney Stone Center at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is the region’s premier facility for the evaluation and treatment of kidney stones and related urological conditions. Every year, hundreds of kidney stone patients turn to us for the most technologically advanced, comfortable and convenient medical care available. Our highly skilled staff – including more than 35-boarded urologists, specially trained nurses and board-certified anesthesiologists – is committed to providing the best kidney stone care available in Southern California.

EVALUATION

Kidney stones, or urinary calculi, are gradually formed in the drainage structures of the urinary tract due to a buildup of salt or other minerals. These buildups can be detected by any of the following x-ray procedures:

• KUB – an acronym for “kidney, ureter and bladder” – is a standard x-ray procedure that provides urologists with a detailed image of the urinary tract and any blockage that may be present.
• Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) – a painless x-ray procedure that involves the use of contrast dye administered intravenously to evaluate the urinary system.
• CT Scan – a painless procedure that provides computerized tomography images of the abdomen so that the urinary system can be evaluated.

TREATMENT

Though most kidney stones pass without complication, some require medical intervention. The Regional Kidney Stone Center at PVHMC provides comprehensive outpatient care for the treatment of kidney stones, including the following procedures:

• Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
  ESWL uses shockwaves to safely pulverize kidney stones without the need for surgery or a long recovery period. The pulverized stones are passed during urination. The treatment takes from 45 to 90 minutes, and patients return home the same day.
• Ureterscopy
  When stones appear in the ureter - one of the tubes that link the kidneys to the bladder - ESWL may not be appropriate. In such circumstances a small fiberoptic instrument called a ureteroscope is inserted into the ureter which pulverizes the stones and removes the particles.

Following either treatment, patients are closely monitored in one of our specially equipped recovery rooms. After a minimum stay of one hour, the patient's condition is evaluated and he or she may then be discharged.

Prostate Gland

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system. The prostate secretes fluid that carries sperm. It surrounds the urethra, the canal that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.

With age and time, the prostate enlarges, causing pressure on the urethra, similar to a clamp on a garden hose. This is known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, which causes problems with urination.

Treatment

The Regional Kidney Stone Center at PVHMC now offers the GreenLight PVP Laser Procedure (Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate), which offers a simple solution to BPH.

The surgical "gold standard" for BPH, known as Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP), is an invasive surgical procedure requiring hospitalization of one to four days with an average recovery time of four to six weeks. However, the GreenLight PVP Laser procedure is a minimally invasive procedure performed in an outpatient setting and has a lower risk of complications. The urologist uses a very high-powered laser to immediately vaporize and precisely remove enlarged prostate tissue, leaving a wide-open channel for urine to pass through.

After close observation in our specially equipped recovery room, most patients return home a few short hours after the procedure and can return to normal, non-strenuous activities within days.

If you have any questions about the services available at PVHMC's Regional Kidney Stone Center, please call (909) 865-9899.

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
The Regional Kidney Stone Center
155 East Artesia Street
Pomona, CA 91767
(909) 865-9899