In a remarkable case of chronic dehydration, doctors in Taiwan removed over 300 kidney stones from a 20-year-old woman who had been consuming sweetened drinks instead of water.
Incident Overview
Earlier this month, Xiao Yu, a resident of Tainan, was admitted to Chi Mei Hospital with severe lower back pain and a high fever. An ultrasound revealed that her right kidney was swollen and filled with hundreds of kidney stones, ranging from 5 millimeters to 2 centimeters in size.
Root Cause
Xiao Yu disclosed that she had been avoiding water for years, opting instead for bubble tea, fruit juice, and alcohol. This habit led to chronic dehydration and a build-up of minerals in her kidneys, resulting in the formation of numerous kidney stones.
Surgical Intervention
To address the issue, doctors performed a percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a procedure that lasted approximately two hours. They successfully removed about 300 kidney stones. Xiao Yu has since been discharged from the hospital and is currently in stable condition.
Expert Insights
Dr. Lim Chye-yang, the surgeon who conducted the procedure, stressed the critical role of proper hydration in preventing kidney stones.
“Proper water intake is essential for diluting minerals in urine,” Dr. Lim explained. “Without adequate water, these minerals can become concentrated, increasing the risk of stone formation.”
Statistics on Kidney Stones
Dr. Lim noted that around 9.6% of the Taiwanese population might experience kidney stones in their lifetime. Men are three times more likely than women to develop these stones, with the condition commonly occurring in individuals between the ages of 50 and 60.
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