Ureteroscopy has a 95% Success Rate for Kidney Stones

Ureteroscopy is a procedure that uses a small camera to examine the urinary tract and help remove kidney stones. At Colorado Springs Urology, this outpatient treatment is often recommended.

The process involves inserting a ureteroscope into the urinary tract. This slender, telescopic instrument allows the urologist to see and remove the stones. Doctors recommend ureteroscopy when stones are lodged in the ureter and sometimes when they are in the kidney.

A ureteroscopy is typically an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon doesn’t make any incisions; instead, they insert the ureteroscope through the urethra and bladder to locate the kidney stone.

Smaller stones can be removed intact, while larger ones may need to be fragmented first. Various tools can break the stones, but most surgeons prefer using a laser. The ureteroscope may also be used to push a ureteric kidney stone back into the kidney, where it can then be fragmented using lithotripsy.

• For several hours after the procedure, you may experience a burning feeling when you urinate. This feeling should go away within a day.
• Drinking a lot of water can help reduce the burning. Your doctor may also recommend taking medicine to relieve the burning.
• There may be blood in your urine for 2 to 3 days after the procedure. Often, a stent will be placed in the ureter for several days to allow the ureter to heal.
• A stent (plastic tube that lets the kidney drain properly during recovery) may lead to frequent urges to urinate and cause blood in the urine.

Some benefits of this treatment include:

• Ureteroscopy has a success rate of more than 95 percent.
• The procedure offers immediate relief from symptoms.
• Performed as an outpatient procedure, most patients can go home the same day.