ATBUTH performs first laser surgery on kidney stones

From Ahmad Muhammad,Bauchi

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi said it performed its first laser surgery to remove kidney stones.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Teaching Hospital, Dr Jibrin Bara told Journalist yesterday in Bauchi that the teaching hospital had conduct its first laser surgery of kidney stone.
Bara explained laser surgery is a type of surgery that uses special light beams instead of instruments for surgical procedures.
He said this is a major breakthrough to the Teaching Hospital and first in this part of the country to have a laser treatment of kidney stones.
“The hospital now had a full upper tract endoscopic and laser facility that residents and others could access without going abroad,”he said.
Bara said residents would enjoy subsidies considering the high cost of accessing the treatment in hospitals outside the region or Nigeria.
He said the success of this innovation in the teaching hospital would translate to access to more affordable healthcare and faster recovery for patients.
On his part, Dr Evaristus Azobah urologist consultant explained that the presence of kidney stones in the human body can cause immense pain and discomfort.
“It becomes essential to get rid of the stones so that the normal activities of life continue uninterrupted.
“The laser lithotripsy treatment would save patients the pain of opening up their upper urinary tract during surgery,” he said.
He said that lithotripsy is a treatment using ultrasound shock waves to break kidney stones into smaller particles that the body can pass out.
The Consultant commended the ATBUTH Chief Medical Director for the introduction of laser surgery treatment in the hospital, saying this goes a long way in saving the cost of patients.