Method Breaks Apart Kidney Stones in Patients Who Are Awake

Unlike the standard procedure for kidney stones now in use that requires sedation, this technology doesn't hurt, says M. Kennedy Hall. "It's nearly painless, and you can do it while the patient is awake, and without sedation, which is critical." Photoroyalty/Shutterstock

Ultrasound can be used to move, reposition, or break up kidney stones, all while the patient is awake, a new study finds.

The new technique, which combines the use of two ultrasound technologies, may offer an option to move kidney stones out of the ureter with minimal pain and no anesthesia, the researchers report.