According to the Independent, doctors in Taiwan removed over 300 stones from a woman’s kidney who used to refresh herself exclusively with sweetened beverages rather than water. Xiao Yu, a 20-year-old lady, was hospitalized at Chi Mei Hospital in Tainan last week after developing a fever and severe lower-back discomfort.
An ultrasound examination revealed that her right kidney was enlarged with fluid and had hundreds of kidney stones within. According to the CT scan, the stones were between 5mm and 2cm in size and resembled ”small steamed buns.” A following blood test revealed an increase in white blood cell counts.
When physicians questioned her about her condition, she stated that she did not love drinking water and had been hydrating herself with bubble tea, fruit juice, and alcoholic beverages for years. This resulted in chronic dehydration and mineral accumulation in her kidneys.
Doctors then conducted a 2-hour procedure termed percutaneous nephrolithotomy, which removed around 300 stones from her kidney. Following the treatment, the woman’s health was stable, and she was released a few days later.
According to surgeon Dr Lim Chye-yang, who performed the treatment, kidney stones can be produced by a variety of factors, including low water consumption or calcium and protein-rich diets.
”Adequate water consumption is essential for diluting minerals in urine. If the body does not get enough water, the minerals in the urine might become concentrated, increasing the risk of stone formation,” he explained.
On average, males have three times the risk of developing kidney stones. The doctor also stated that in Taiwan, males are three times more likely than women to have kidney stones, with 9.6% of Taiwanese experiencing kidney stones throughout their lifetime.