Laser lithotripsy means the destruction of a urinary stone with a laser being used as the energy source. The stone can be located in the kidney, ureter or bladder.

Typically, the procedure takes place under general anaesthetic and the stone is visualised with a telescope. With the stone on view via the telescope, the stone is destroyed with the laser and small fragments are sent off for stone analysis to establish the composition of the stone.

The length of the procedure depends on the location of the stone, whether it is near the kidney, inside the kidney or nearer to the bladder as well as the size of the stone. In some patients the ureter is too narrow and delicate to allow the ureteroscope (telescope) to be passed far enough to visualise the stone. In these cases, a JJ stent (a silicone tube) is placed in the ureter that runs from the kidney to the bladder, by-passing the stone. The stent unblocks the kidney and allows the ureter to dilate (expand) over the course of one to two weeks. When the ureter is of sufficient calibre, the ureteroscope can be passed safely and the stone visualised. Sometimes there is significant swelling in and around the ureter, necessitating another stent until the swelling has subsided.

The stent typically serves a short-term goal of unblocking the kidney and allowing the ureter to expand but does have it’s own bothersome symptoms which includes, urgency, frequency (going to the toilet very often) and sometimes mild incontinence. The stent can also be associated with some bleeding in the urinary tract, and all of this is normal and related to the stent.

Usually, six weeks after the procedure you will have a follow up consultation with the results of the stone analysis and blood and urine tests to evaluate a possible cause of your kidney stones.