However, an inquest held into his death in February 2011 found that he died after his bowel burst due to a build-up of pressure in it - not because of any problems caused by a surgicalinstrument.
Stones that are resistant to lithotripsy may be treated with a surgical procedure known as a percutaneous nephrolithotomy, in which an instrument is passed through the skin into the kidney to grab and break up or remove the stone.