Doctors remove 300 kidney stones from woman who drank bubble tea instead of water
December 28, 2023
Doctors in Taiwan had to remove over 300 kidney stones from a 20-year-old woman who suffered chronic dehydration from drinking sweetened drinks over water.
What happened: Earlier this month, Xiao Yu was admitted to Chi Mei Hospital in Tainan due to fever and severe lower back pain. An ultrasound revealed hundreds of kidney stones in her swollen right kidney, ranging from 5 mm to 2 cm in size.
What caused it?: Yu admitted to avoiding water and instead consuming drinks like bubble tea, fruit juice and alcohol for years, resulting in chronic dehydration and a build-up of minerals in her kidneys.
The treatment: Doctors conducted a surgery called percutaneous nephrolithotomy, which lasted for two hours. They reportedly extracted about 300 stones. The woman is now in stable condition and had already been discharged from the hospital.
Importance of water: Dr. Lim Chye-yang, the surgeon who carried out the procedure, emphasized the importance of proper water intake in preventing kidney stones.
“Proper water intake is crucial for diluting minerals in urine,” Lim told Metro. “If the body lacks enough water, the minerals in the urine can easily become concentrated, increasing the risk of stone formation.”
Kidney stones: According to Dr. Lim, approximately 9.6% of the Taiwanese population might experience kidney stones during their lifetime, with men being three times more likely than women to develop kidney stones. It typically occurs in individuals between the ages of 50 and 60.
Share this Article
Share this Article
