Laser treatment for kidney stones introduced at Mercy Hospital

Surgical Associates Guyana has introduced laser treatment of kidney stones at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. According to a press release, the first case of a kidney stone treated with the laser in Guyana was that of a 34-year-old female with a 1.1cm stone in the kidney. The patient was successfully treated last Thursday at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and was discharged within hours of the procedure. “Traditionally, this would have required an incision on the abdomen, 2 – 3 days of hospitalization and weeks of convalescence,” the release noted. This technique is likely to remain a thing of the past.

The recent surgery was performed by Dr. Rajendra Sukhraj, a trained specialist urological surgeon who is a member of Surgical Associates Guyana. Dr. Sukhraj is highly experienced in treating kidney stones with laser. He returned to Guyana one year ago after completing a post-graduate degree in Urology at the University of the West Indies. Surgical Associates Guyana, according to the release, is based at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. It is made up of a group of young Guyanese surgeons who are highly skilled in their respective fields. “They have a common mission of providing the Guyanese people with first world level surgical care. This significant investment is a reflection of their commitment to the development of healthcare in this country,” the release added. According to the release, the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital is currently the first and only hospital in the country with the equipment and expertise to offer this modern method of treatment. It was pointed out too that this technique uses a high intensity laser beam to pulverize stones through an endoscope. (Kaieteur News)