Spire Bristol Hospital, The Glen

TEENAGER’S GENETIC CONDITION CAUSES KIDNEY STONES

Leading urologist performs keyhole surgery at Spire Bristol Hospital

Being a typical teenager, Lauren Johnson was reluctant to see a doctor when she started suffering from severe back and abdominal pains last year.

It was only when the pain continued non-stop for a week that she sought medical advice – only to find that she had developed several large kidney stones, a condition traditionally associated with middle-aged and elderly people.

Journalism student Lauren, from Hereford, learned that she had a genetic condition called cystinuria, which affects the movement of the chemical compound cystine and leads to the formation of crystals in the sufferer‘s urine.

She was referred to consultant urologist Frank Keeley, who removed the stones in a series of complex keyhole operations at Spire Bristol Hospital, the South West‘s largest private hospital.

“It was about a year-and-a-half ago when I started suffering from really bad pain in my lower back and abdomen,” says Lauren, who is now 20.

“I literally couldn‘t move when the pain was at its worst but I put off going to see a doctor about it because it would go away after two or three days.

“Then I had a whole week when the pain refused to go away, and that was when I decided I had to do something. I went for an ultrasound scan, which revealed that I had several large stones in both kidneys which would need removing, which was a bit daunting at my age.”

Mr Keeley performed three keyhole procedures in the space of two weeks to remove the stones.

“This problem generally occurs in older adults so it is very unusual to find kidney stones, and particularly this type, in someone of Lauren‘s age,” he said.

“In extreme cases kidney stones can cause renal failure and the patient will need dialysis, so it is excellent that we have caught the problem at this stage and that Lauren did not simply go on hoping the pain would go away, as can often happen with young people, influenced by their parents.”

“I will always have this condition because it is genetic, and I‘ve been told that the stones will probably form again, although that could be in 20 years‘ time,” said Lauren.

“For now though, it‘s just great to be free of the pain and I‘m so grateful to Mr Keeley and his team. I am able live a completely normal life, as long as I ensure I drink eight-to-12 glasses of water every day.”

ENDS 29th January 2010

Spire Bristol Hospital, The Glen is part of Spire Healthcare, the second largest private hospital provider in the UK with 36 hospitals and a total of 1,983 beds. Spire Healthcare treats 930,000 patients a year, employs 7,600 staff and works with over 3,000 medical consultants. For more information, please visit: www.spirehealthcare.com

For more information or to arrange photographs, please contact Neil Fraser, on 01275 349 011 or neil@sturgessvandamme.co.uk

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