Q: I am a 21 years old girl having single kidney on the left side, sized 12.8 x 5.1 cm. I am having a stone in the kidney for the last 7 months. Can I go for a laser operation? Will it lead to any harm in future? Due to stress or tension I used to have pain in the left side of stomach at the same position. Is it due to tension? Can a girl (having single kidney) give birth to a child?

A:Laser lithotripsy (if planned for treating your obstructing stone with pain as described) is a safe procedure even if you have a solitary kidney. One can have rare complications post-procedure including pain and bleeding. But usually, it wouldn't cause your kidneys to fail as long as the urologist monitors your condition closely. Also, females with solitary kidney can have normal life span including an uneventful pregnancy.