Laser Treatment of Kidney Stone

If a kidney stone is stuck in the ureter, you may need to have a ureteroscopy, which is also sometimes known as retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). It involves passing a long, thin telescope called a ureteroscope through your urethra (the tube urine passes through on its way out of the body) and into your bladder.

Symptoms of kidney stones

Small kidney stones may go undetected and be passed out painlessly in the urine. But it's fairly common for a stone to block part of the urinary system, such as the:

• ureter – the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder
• urethra – the tube urine passes through on its way out of the body

A blockage can cause severe pain in the abdomen or groin and sometimes causes a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Causes

What causes kidney stones?

Kidney stones are usually formed following a build-up of certain chemicals in the body.

This build-up may be any of the following:

• calcium
• ammonia
• uric acid – a waste product produced when the body breaks down food to use as energy
• cysteine – an amino acid that helps to build protein

Certain medical conditions can lead to an unusually high level of these substances in your urine.

You're also more likely to develop kidney stones if you don't drink enough fluids.

Recurrent kidney stones

Some people are particularly likely to keep on developing kidney stones, including people who:

• eat a high-protein, low-fibre diet
• are inactive or bed-bound
• have a family history of kidney stones
• have had several kidney or urinary infections
• have had a kidney stone before, particularly if it was before you were 25
• have only one fully working kidney
• have had an intestinal bypass (surgery on your digestive system), or a condition affecting the small intestine, such as Crohn's disease