• Both lithotripsy machines out of order

More than 1,000 kidney stone patients awaiting surgery at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) are facing delays due to the unavailability of two specialized machines required for minimally invasive procedures, hospital sources said. Informed hospital sources told The Sunday Morning on Thursday (18) that surgeries for kidney stones had been postponed because the hospital did not have access to functioning intracorporeal pneumatic lithotripsy machines, which are essential for treating patients with large kidney stones.They noted that surgeons required the equipment to perform Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL), a minimally invasive procedure used to remove large kidney stones. However, the lack of the required machines has resulted in surgeries being repeatedly postponed.“Requests for the equipment have been made for a considerable period, but the machines have still not been provided. Consultants have repeatedly raised the issue, but it remains unresolved,” sources noted.

According to hospital sources, patients who are given surgery dates are often admitted to the hospital only to be informed that their procedures must be postponed because the required equipment is unavailable.  “Patients are admitted expecting surgery, but once they arrive, they are informed that the procedure cannot go ahead. New dates are then issued, and in some cases, the surgeries are postponed again,” sources explained.They further stated that procurement requests had already been submitted for the machines, but the purchasing process had not been completed yet.

They warned that prolonged delays could increase the risk of complications among patients with large kidney stones, many of whom require timely surgical intervention.The NHSL, which serves as the country’s main referral centre for complex kidney stone surgeries, receives patients from across the country, including Galle, Matara, and other regional hospitals where similar specialized equipment is unavailable, according to them.Hospital sources added that four consultant specialists currently handled such cases at the NHSL, with surgeries typically carried out throughout the working week. However, the shortage of essential equipment has significantly affected the hospital’s ability to perform the procedures.

The new Deputy Director General of the NHSL could not be contacted for comment at the time.