Endoscopic kidney stone treatment at Nuffield Health at St Bartholomew's Hospital

What are kidney stones?

Your kidneys are a filter for your body. They remove waste chemicals and excess fluid from your blood by making urine.

Most waste dissolves in your urine and passes from your body unnoticed. However, if there's a build-up of chemicals, tiny crystals can form. Several crystals can clump together to form a kidney stone.

Is endoscopic kidney stone treatment right for me?

Your consultant may recommend treatment if your kidney stones are:

• particularly large
• stuck in your ureters (tubes that connect your kidneys to your bladder)
• causing you pain.

What happens during endoscopic kidney stone treatment?

There are several ways to treat or remove kidney stones. One of these is a procedure called a ureteroscopy, which is performed under general or spinal anaesthetic. It usually takes about 1 hour. 

'Endoscopic' relates to a long, thin telescope for examining internal organs. This procedure involves two different types of endoscope – a cystoscope for examining the bladder, and a ureteroscope for examining the kidneys and ureters. These are both inserted via the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from your bladder.

During the procedure

1. Once you're under anaesthetic, your surgeon will use an X-ray to help guide a cystoscope into your urethra to check for any problems with your bladder
2. A thin guide wire is then passed down the cystoscope, and after removing the cystoscope, the wire is used to insert a ureteroscope
3. Once they've located any kidney stones, they'll either remove it with the ureteroscope, or break it up with a tiny laser
4. Your surgeon may place a catheter in your bladder to help you pass urine immediately following your treatment.

After the procedure

Afterwards you'll be taken to the recovery room. If you've had general anaesthetic, you'll wake up here – you shouldn’t feel any pain, but you might be groggy and slightly uncomfortable as you come around. 

When you’re ready, you’ll be taken to your room, where the healthcare team will look after you.

Recovery from endoscopic kidney stone treatment

Most people make a good recovery after kidney stone treatment. You may be able to go home the day of your procedure if you can pass urine on your own. In some cases, you may need to stay overnight.

You won't be able to drive, so someone else will need to take you home when you leave.

You may feel a stinging sensation the first few times you go to the toilet. Drink plenty of fluids to help your pass urine and any pieces of your kidney stone. Take any pain relief medication as prescribed.

You should be able to return to normal activities within 2–3 days after your surgery. Discuss any return to work with your consultant.

Alternative treatment options

• Shockwave lithotripsy – this treatment uses sound waves and X-rays to find and break down kidney stones
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) – this involves making a small incision in the back and inserting a nephroscope (another type of thin telescope) into the kidney, before removing the kidney stone through a tube.