Ureteroscopy and Laser Lithotripsy for Kidney Stones
Ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy is a minimally invasive treatment option during which the urologist directly visualizes the stone using a tiny camera and breaks it with laser. The stone fragments are retrieved and send to the laboratory for analysis. Ureteroscopy is typically performed under general or spinal anesthesia. It is typically an outpatient procedure. The patient can go home the same day. Often, the urologist will insert a ureteral stent at the end of the procedure. The stent will typically be removed in the office on followup.
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Dr. Alex Shteynshlyuger is a fellowship trained board certified urologist with expertise in treating kidney stones using ureteroscopy. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with renal colic or kidney stones, make an appointment to take advantage of Dr. Shteynshlyuger’s expert advice.
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For patients with stones in the ureter or the kidney, ureteroscopy is often an excellent treatment option. Ureteroscopy refers to direct visualization of the stone with a miniature camera that is advanced through the urethra via bladder into the ureter and the kidney. It is an endoscopic, minimally invasive procedure that involves no skin cutting.
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Depending on stone size and location, success of ureteroscopy in rendering a patient stone-free can be upwards of 90%. Ureteroscopy is typically a same day procedure and patients go home after the procedure. Usually, a ureteral internal stent is left to allow the inflammation in the ureter to settle. The stent will usually be removed in the office once all the stones are broken within a few weeks of the procedure.
