Kidney Stones

Treating and Preventing Kidney Stones

Dr. Seth Bechis explains options for kidney stone treatment and prevention.

UC San Diego Health’s Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center is Southern California’s unparalleled leader in treating and preventing kidney stones. Our kidney stone disease specialists have focused their urologic medical practice in surgical and nonsurgical methods to address this painful condition. We can help.

UC San Diego Health's kidney stone specialists:

Talk to the experts: Call 858-657-7876 for an appointment

Treatment

The Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center sees hundreds of individuals with kidney stones each year. The team utilizes expert minimally invasive capabilities – such as advanced imaging technology, robotic surgical procedures, dietary changes and medications.

In addition to the robotically assisted surgical capability, we have the most advanced shock wave lithotripsy equipment onsite. This equipment minimizes radiation exposure by utilizing state of art 3D ultrasound technology.

Treatment Options

Prevention

Our goals are not only to treat kidney stones but also prevent their recurrence. We strive to make your first kidney stone surgery, your last. Our team determines the cause of the stone in 97 percent of cases, enabling unprecedented efforts in prevention of future stones. 

As most kidney stones are diet related, our registered dietician works with you to develop dietary changes that reduce future kidney stone formation.

Prevention of Kidney Stones

Research

Xray showing staghorn kidney stone

The search to slow or reverse kidney stone formation is the basis of our research at UC San Diego Health. Photo credit: Thomas Deerinck, National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research.

As a patient at UC San Diego Health, you have access to clinical trials that examine newly developed therapies and procedures. Read more about research and clinical trials related to kidney stones.

Our Research