Herrell specializes in urinary tract stone disease and endourology the use of scopes, lasers and minimally invasive devices. He helped develop MUSC's Kidney Stone Center, which concentrates on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of stone disease. MUSC's stone treatment program has expanded into one of the state's most comprehensive. Recently, Herrell and his colleagues employed a powerful and accurate laser, called Holmium, to destroy kidney stones. Although similar systems are available in other settings, MUSC's recently constructed endourology and laser suite houses the most powerful and accurate technology available in the area.
Kidney stones occur when calcium or other urinary substances collect and crystallize.
A stone can become lodged in the kidney or ureter, and pain occurs as it's squeezed along the too-narrow path on its way to the bladder and uretha. Signs of kidney stone irritation and blockage include sharp pain or cramping in the area of the kidney, back or side, nausea or vomiting, burning or blood with urination, or the need to urinate frequently. Diagnosis is usually made with ultrasound or X-ray technology, and important information about the stone's size, shape, location and composition is obtained. The art of helping people with kidney stones is in finding the right option for each person and helping them choose, Herrell said. If a stone is under 5 millimeters, it will usually pass on its own with fluids and pain medications.