In February, as fears about the coronavirus began to escalate, Trishna Patel mistook her symptoms for a severe cold or flu. Despite her fever and chills, she tried to ride it out until a friend, concerned about her weakness, took her to urgent care. “Once I arrived, I had a seizure. The EMT said I was dehydrated and advised that I needed to go to the ER,” Patel recalls.
At the emergency room, doctors quickly identified that Patel was suffering from severe sepsis. “The ER doctor told me if I had waited any longer, it would have been very bad,” she says.
A CT scan revealed the source of her infection: a large kidney stone in her right kidney was blocking urine flow, causing a urinary tract infection that led to sepsis. Remarkably, Patel felt no pain despite the stone’s size. “I had experienced kidney stones before, but this one was different. My condition was driven by the sepsis, not the stone itself,” she explains.
A Plan for Recovery
Patel underwent emergency surgery to place a stent in her kidney to open her urinary tract. During her five-day hospital stay, Dr. Keith Bloom, kidney stone specialists with Urology Partners of North Texas, visited her to discuss a plan for addressing the large stone. Patel immediately felt at ease with Dr. Bloom.
“His ability to answer all my questions and provide clear explanations was incredibly reassuring,” Patel says. “He also took the time to address concerns from my family and friends, making us all feel valued and not rushed.”
Dr. Bloom noted, “Trishna’s large calcium-based stone had likely been growing for years without causing any symptoms. It only became problematic when it blocked urine flow and led to an infection.”
Non-Invasive Treatment Options
Dr. Bloom recommended extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), a non-invasive treatment where a machine uses shock waves to break the stone into smaller fragments that can be passed more easily. “Given the stone’s size, ESWL was the best initial approach. It helped break the stone into smaller, manageable pieces,” Dr. Bloom explains.
A month after her hospital release, Patel underwent ESWL with Dr. Bloom. Due to the stone’s size, two treatment sessions were necessary. “Following the initial ESWL, we performed a ureteroscopy—a procedure that allows us to look inside the kidney through the bladder—to remove remaining fragments,” says Dr. Bloom. The ureteroscopy, which requires no incisions, was also used to replace Patel’s temporary stent.
Patel was impressed by the care she received. “Both procedures went smoothly. I was under general anesthesia and felt nothing. Dr. Bloom, his team, and the office staff were exceptional throughout the entire process,” she notes. Even her mother, usually skeptical, was impressed by the care and professionalism shown.
Recovery and Future Outlook
Patel experienced some soreness and weakness post-procedure, which she attributes to her recovery from sepsis and the temporary stent. “Dr. Bloom did an ultrasound at my follow-up visit and found minor inflammation, but my kidney is healing well,” she says. She is looking forward to her six-month follow-up appointment to review her blood test results and discuss future prevention strategies.
Dr. Bloom expressed his satisfaction with Patel’s recovery. “It was rewarding to help Trishna return to better health and resume her life. At Urology Partners of North Texas, we are dedicated to providing fast relief for our stone patients and preventing future pain.”
Struggling with Kidney Stones?
If you suffer from kidney stones, the experts at Urology Partners of North Texas can offer effective solutions to help you live pain-free. Call us at 866-367-8768 or schedule an online appointment to learn more about your treatment options.
