Ep. 146 Urolithiasis in Pregnancy: Balancing Risks and Management with Dr. Alana Desai

In this episode, Dr. Suzette Sutherland and Dr. Alana Desai from the University of Washington discuss the management of urinary tract stones in pregnant patients, considerations for ureteroscopy, and consequences of radiation exposure in the fetus.

First, the doctors underscore the importance of ultrasound as the first line imaging modality to minimize fetal exposure to radiation. Dr. Sutherland and Dr. Desai also delve into nausea and pain management options, recommended diets for prevention of stone formation during pregnancy, and the necessity of involving a multidisciplinary team in such cases. The episode concludes with a remarkable case study from Dr. Desai’s experience.

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SHOW NOTES

00:00 - Introduction

02:06 - Incidence and Risk Factors of Kidney Stones in Pregnancy

03:29 - Physiological Changes and Stone Formation in Pregnancy

07:04 - Diagnosing Kidney Stones in Pregnancy

13:08 - Expectant Management vs. Intervention

14:41 - Managing Pain and Nausea in Pregnant Patients with Kidney Stones

17:13 - Decompression Methods for Kidney Stones in Pregnancy

23:13 - Ureteroscopy as a Preferred Intervention

26:05 - Case Description from Dr. Desai

30:04 - Considerations for Ureteroscopy in Pregnant Patients

31:14 - Preventing Kidney Stones in Pregnancy

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RESOURCES

Lyon, M., Sun, A., Shah, A., Llarena, N., Dempster, C., Sivalingam, S., Calle, J., Gadani, S., Zampini, A., & De, S. (2023). Comparison of Radiation Exposure for Pregnant Patients Requiring Intervention for Suspected Obstructing Nephrolithiasis. Urology, 182, 61–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2023.09.023

Thongprayoon, C., Vaughan, L. E., Chewcharat, A., Kattah, A. G., Enders, F. T., Kumar, R., Lieske, J. C., Pais, V. M., Garovic, V. D., & Rule, A. D. (2021). Risk of Symptomatic Kidney Stones During and After Pregnancy. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation, 78(3), 409–417. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.01.008