Ureteroscopy/Pyeloscopy and Lasertripsy

These are two different types of procedures that are performed to treat kidney stones. Kidney stones form in the kidney when mineral waste materials clump together forming a solid crystal. These vary in size and cause pain when they block your bladder.

These procedures may be required to treat your kidney stones for the following reasons:

• You are experiencing pain from kidney stones.
• There is a blockage of urine flow from your kidney to your bladder.
• Your stones are at risk of causing a blockage.

Your Urologist will perform the procedure under a general anaesthetic and does not involve any surgical incisions as the stones are accessed via your urethra (tube you pass urine from).

Ureteroscopy and lasertripsy involves passing a small telescope (ureteroscope) into the ureter (tube connecting kidney to bladder) via the urethra and bladder to determine where the stone is located.

Depending on the size of the stone, if small enough, it may be removed whole with a basket device. 

If the stone is too large it may rquire laser treatment to fragment it into smaller pieces.

Pyeloscopy and Lasertripsy is a procedure where a fibre optic telescope is introduced into the kidney via the urethra into the ballder and up the ureter. The stone is then fragmented, using the laser, into a sand-like consistency to allow easy passage in your urine.

Bleeding within your urinary tract can be expected when removing or breaking up the stone. There is a small risk of damage to other organs with heavy bleeding and/or blood clots in your urine.

Infection within the urinary tract can occur after these procedures. Symptoms include difficulty urinating, burning on urination, frequent urinations or fevers. There is a small risk of sepsis which is a severe form of infection and is otherwise known as blood poisoning. This occurs in approximately one in 200 patients. Symptoms can include fever, chills, shaking, lethargy, confusion, passing minimal urine, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness or a general feeling of being unwell. If this occurs, seek urgent medical attention.

Further procedures may be required due to stone pieces causing blockage of urine flow or failure to break stone adequately.

Urethral sticture (scar tissue along urethra) is rare but there is a small risk of this occurring whenever a scope is inserted into your bladder.

Bladder or ureteric (tube from kidney to bladder) injury is rare but there is a small risk of this occurring whenever a scope is inserted into your bladder or ureter.

• You will be booked for a pre-admission appointment (either face-to-face appointment or via the telephone) prior to your procedure.
• Please discuss any medications with your Urologist or pre-admission nurse. Some medications may need to be stopped prior to your procedure (including e.g. blood thinners, diabetic medication and herbal supplements).
• Please cease fish oils or other health supplements seven days prior to surgery.
• Please attend a urine test and all recommended blood tests or investigations 10 - 14 days prior to your procedure to avoid cancellation.
• If you are advised to start taking antibiotics prior to your procedure it is important that you start this as per instructions from your doctor or nurse to avoid cancellation of your procedure.
• Arrange for someone to take or accompany you home. Please bring their contact details with you to the hospital. It is also a requirement that you have someone care for you for 24 hours after your procedure. You may require an overnight stay in hospital but this may not be known until after you have your procedure.
• Please confirm your booking five days prior to your procedure.
  Phone 07 3163 8444 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4pm).

You will receive a phone call or text message with your arrival time. It is important to note that your arrival time is NOT your procedure time. Your arrival time allows time for admission and appropriate preparation prior to your procedure.

• Shower or bathe at home and put on clean clothes.
• Fast (stop eating and drinking) as per the instructions provided by your doctor or nurse.
• Continue to take all medication as prescribed to you by your doctor unless advised of any changes.
• Bring the following to your hospital appointment:
  • Medicare Card and pension cards.
  • Competed registration form/s.
  • All current medications.
  • Please do not bring any valuables or wear any jewellery when you come to hospital.

You will be transferred from the procedure room to recover where your nurse will be performing regular checks of your vital signs (e.g. temperature, blood pressure and heart rate).

You may wake up with a catheter (a tube that passes through your urethra which is where urine naturally flows from) draning your bladder. If you do wake up with a catheter, it will be removed prior to your discharge.

Sometimes you will have a temporary tube in your ureter (ureteric stent) which allows for the urine to pass from your kidney to your bladder without blockage. This may be attached to the catheter and removed prior to discharge, however if the stent is not attached to the catheter, you will be requested to return to hospital for stent removal in about one to four weeks.

You may be discharged day of surgery or require admission overnight after your procedure for observation.

After having anaesthetic you may feel drowsy and your coordination and judgement may be affected for 24 hours. For your own safety, and in some cases legally, do not do any of the following for 24 hours:

• Drive a car or use heavy equipment/machinery.
• Sign any legal documents or make important decisions.
• Consume alcohol.

• You may have some pain which should be relieved by simple analgesia.
• You may have urinary symptoms including stinging/burning or passing urine more often or urgently. This should settle within a few days or longer if you have a ureteric stent.
• Your Urologist may provide you with a script for antibiotics to take on the days following surgery and it is important you complete the course as prescribed.
• You can normally return to work within one to five days. This will depend on your occupation and how you are recovering in terms of pain etc.

This varies and includes: no follow up, repeat imaging and outpatient appointment or further procedures.

If you have a uretertic stent inserted, an appointment will be made for removal and it is vital this is completed as ureteric stents are only temporary and cannot stay in permanently.

Please contact either your General Practitioner (GP) or your local Emergency Department, if you experience any of the following after your procedure:

• Strong kidney pain that is not resolved with simple pain relief medication.
• Symptoms of a urine infection including:
  • Worsening pain or discomfort.
  • Smelly or cloudy urine.
  • Fevers.
• Signs indicating possibility of sepsis: fever, chills, shaking, lethargy, confusion, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, passing minimal urine, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting or a general feeling of being unwell. If this occurs, please seek urgent medical attention.
• Heavily blood-stained urine or clots that is not settling after increasing water intake and minimising strenuous activity.
• Difficulty passing urine or inability to pass urine.

If you require further information or advice you can contact the Mater Hospital Urology Department on 07 3163 3490 during business hours.

Mater Misericordiae Ltd
Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane Qld 4101
P: 07 3163 8111 F: 07 3163 8112
E: info@mater.org.au
Document num: MPPL-083240
Released: 01/09/2025
Rev. No: 101
Mater acknowledges consumer consultation in the development of this patient information.
Copyright 2018 Mater Misericordiae Ltd. ACN 096 708 922.