You may be rid of the kidney stones and the problems they might cause without surgery. There are some risks when you have general anesthesia. Discuss these risks with your doctor. A local anesthesia may not numb the area quite enough and you may feel some minor discomfort. Also, in rare cases, you may have an allergic reaction to the drug used in this type of anesthesia.
Local anesthesia is considered safer than general anesthesia.
There is a risk of infection or bleeding. Some of the broken kidney stones could irritate the bladder or ureter or block the ureter. There is a small risk you may need another procedure if a blockage occurs or if leftover pieces of stone remain in the kidneys or ureters. On rare occasions there could be serious complications such as shock. You should ask your doctor how these risks apply to you.