Ureteroscopy
What is Ureteroscopy?
Ureteroscopy (URS) is a procedure that uses a thin, flexible or semi-rigid scope (ureteroscope) to examine and treat conditions in the ureter and kidney, most commonly kidney stones. It allows direct visualization and intervention without external incisions. In India, ureteroscopy is performed in urology departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs is essential for patients.
Why do you need Ureteroscopy?
Ureteroscopy is indicated for:
- Kidney stones:
- Stones in ureter or kidney (5–20 mm; complements ESWL and PCNL from your prior queries).
- Failed ESWL (e.g., stones in lower ureter; ESWL success drops to 50–60% for distal stones).
- Stones causing obstruction, pain, or infection (e.g., fever, as in pyeloplasty query).
- Prevalence in India: 5–15% lifetime risk; higher in North India (hot climates).
- Other indications:
- Ureteral strictures (narrowing; related to your urethral implantation query).
- Tumors: Diagnostic biopsy or treatment of small ureteral tumors.
- Hematuria: Investigate unexplained blood in urine.
- Associated treatments:
- Pre-op: Stent placement if severe obstruction or infection.
- Post-op: Double-J stent to aid drainage; stone analysis to guide prevention.
- Timing:
- Performed in adults (average age 30–50 years for stones); urgency depends on symptoms (e.g., immediate if infection or severe pain).
The procedure aims to remove stones or diagnose/treat ureteral issues, relieve obstruction, and prevent complications like infection or kidney damage, with high success rates for stone clearance.
Why Do Ureteroscopy Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹50,000 to ₹1.5 lakh:
- Procedure Complexity: Diagnostic (₹50,000–₹80,000); with laser lithotripsy (₹80,000–₹1.5 lakh).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis: ₹80,000–₹1.5 lakh); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS: ₹20,000–₹50,000, often subsidized under Ayushman Bharat).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced urologists charge more.
- Additional Costs: Anesthesia (₹5,000–₹15,000), hospital stay (₹5,000–₹10,000/day), stent (₹5,000–₹15,000), medications (₹2,000–₹5,000).
- Insurance: Often covered (medical necessity); confirm with your provider.
Ureteroscopy Procedure
- Before Procedure Evaluation:
- Assessment:
- Imaging: X-ray, ultrasound, or CT to locate stone, assess size, and check for obstruction.
- Urine test: Checks for infection (UTI treated pre-op).
- Blood tests: Kidney function (creatinine), blood sugar, clotting profile.
- Preparation: Stop blood thinners (e.g., aspirin) 5–7 days prior if safe; antibiotics pre-op.
- Consent: Risks, including stent discomfort, are explained.
- Assessment:
- Procedure Technique:
- Ureteroscopy:
- Performed under general or spinal anesthesia, lasting 30–90 minutes.
- Process:
- Ureteroscope (flexible or semi-rigid) inserted through urethra, bladder, and into ureter.
- Stone visualized; fragmented with laser (holmium laser lithotripsy) or removed with basket device.
- Other interventions: Biopsy for tumors, dilation for strictures, or stent placement.
- Double-J stent often placed to ensure drainage (removed in 1–4 weeks).
- Completion: Stones sent for analysis; X-ray confirms clearance (if needed).
- Intraoperative Tools:
- Ureteroscope: Flexible (for kidney) or semi-rigid (for ureter); camera and light for visualization.
- Holmium laser: Fragments stones (90–95% success for <20 mm stones).
- Basket device: Extracts stone fragments.
- Ureteroscopy:
- After Procedure:
- Hospital stay: Same-day discharge or 1 day.
- Care: Drink 2–3 liters of water daily to flush fragments; stent may cause mild discomfort (urgency).
- Pain management: Mild to moderate pain for 1–3 days (flank or bladder irritation); managed with painkillers (e.g., diclofenac).
- Instructions: Avoid strenuous activity for 1–2 weeks; monitor for fever or severe pain.
Recovery After Ureteroscopy
- Hospital Stay: Same-day discharge or 1 day.
- Post-Procedure Care:
- Pain: Mild to moderate flank or bladder irritation for 1–3 days; resolves in 1–2 weeks.
- Urine: Blood-tinged urine for 1–3 days; clears with hydration; stent may cause urgency or discomfort.
- Activity: Avoid strenuous activity for 1–2 weeks; light activities in 1–2 days.
- Stent: Double-J stent removed in 1–4 weeks (outpatient procedure); discomfort resolves post-removal.
- Diet: Hydrate (2–3 liters/day); low-sodium, low-oxalate diet to prevent stone recurrence.
- Follow-Up:
- Visit at 1 week (check healing), 1–4 weeks (stent removal), and 1–3 months (confirm clearance).
- Imaging: X-ray or ultrasound at 1 month to ensure stone-free status (90–95% clearance rate).
Most resume normal activities in 1–2 days; full recovery (including stent removal) takes 2–4 weeks. Success rate: 90–95% stone clearance for ureteral stones; 80–85% for kidney stones (<20 mm).
Risks and Complications
- Procedure Risks:
- Pain (10–20%): Ureteral irritation or spasm; managed with painkillers.
- Bleeding (2–5%): Mild hematuria; usually self-limiting.
- Anesthesia risks (<1%): Reaction to anesthesia; rare in healthy patients.
- Post-Procedure:
- UTI (2–5%): Risk from instrumentation; managed with antibiotics.
- Ureteral injury (1–2%): Perforation or avulsion (rare); may need stent or surgery.
- Stent discomfort (20–30%): Urgency or pain; resolves after removal.
- Residual fragments (5–10%): May need repeat ureteroscopy or ESWL.
- Long-Term:
- Stricture (1–2%): Ureteral scarring; may need dilation or surgery.
- Stone recurrence (30–50%): Within 5–10 years; needs dietary changes and monitoring.
Report fever, severe pain, heavy bleeding, or inability to urinate promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes the need for ureteroscopy?
Kidney or ureteral stones, strictures, tumors, or unexplained hematuria causing obstruction, pain, or infection.
Can I avoid ureteroscopy?
Yes, if small stones: Hydration, ESWL, or medical expulsive therapy (e.g., tamsulosin); ureteroscopy needed for larger stones, distal ureter stones, or diagnostic needs.
Is ureteroscopy painful?
Mild to moderate discomfort for 1–3 days (stent-related); managed with medication; resolves in 1–2 weeks.
How soon can I resume normal activities?
Light activities: 1–2 days; full recovery: 2–4 weeks (post-stent removal); avoid strenuous activity for 1–2 weeks.
Is ureteroscopy covered by insurance in India?
Often covered (medical necessity); confirm with your provider; Ayushman Bharat often subsidizes.
Signs of complications?
Fever, severe pain, heavy bleeding, or inability to urinate.
Will I need a stent after ureteroscopy?
Often: Double-J stent placed in 50–70% of cases to aid healing; removed in 1–4 weeks.
Lifestyle changes post-procedure?
Hydrate (2–3 liters/day), reduce salt/oxalate intake, monitor for recurrence, and attend follow-ups.
Conclusion
Ureteroscopy is a safe and effective procedure for managing kidney stones and ureteral issues, with high success rates and minimal recovery time. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable care, often covered by insurance. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach it confidently. Consult a urologist for personalized guidance.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Ureteroscopy
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Ahmedabad |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Ajmer |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Aligarh |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Allahabad |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Amritsar |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Aurangabad |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Bangalore |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Bareilly |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Belgaum |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Bhopal |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Bikaner |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Chandigarh |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Chennai |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Coimbatore |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Dehradun |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Delhi |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Dhanbad |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Durgapur |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Faridabad |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Ghaziabad |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Gorakhpur |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Guntur |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Gurgaon |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Guwahati |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Gwalior |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Hyderabad |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Indore |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Jabalpur |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Jaipur |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Jalandhar |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Jamshedpur |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Jodhpur |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Kanpur |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Kochi |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Kolkata |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Kollam |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Lucknow |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Ludhiana |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Madurai |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Mangalore |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Meerut |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Moradabad |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Mumbai |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Mysore |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Nagpur |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Nashik |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Noida |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Patna |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Pune |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Raipur |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Rajkot |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Ranchi |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Surat |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Thane |
50,000 |
1,50,000 |
Vadodara |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Varanasi |
40,000 |
1,30,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
45,000 |
1,40,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.