What is kidney endoscopy or ureteroscopy?

A kidney endoscopy is a minor procedure that may be used to locate and treat large kidney stones. A kidney endoscopy is known medically as ureteroscopy or ureterorenoscopy.

It is carried out in hospital under general anaesthetic (where you’re completely asleep throughout) or spinal anaesthetic (where you’re awake but sedated and numbed from the waist down).

What does ureteroscopy involve?

A thin camera is passed through the urethra and bladder, up the ureter (which connects the bladder to the kidney) and sometimes into the kidney itself. This allows the surgeon to inspect the ureter and kidney and break down and remove kidney stones.

Who is it for?

You may be offered a kidney endoscopy if you’ve been diagnosed with kidney stones, or you have a suspected narrowing or blockage, or symptoms such as unexplained bleeding and recurrent infections.

Is it safe? Are there any alternatives?

Ureteroscopy is routine and generally safe. There are small risks with anaesthetic, which your healthcare team will discuss.

Afterwards, it’s common to have temporary stinging and minor bleeding. There’s a small risk of infection, which can be treated with antibiotics, or damage to the ureter, but this isn’t common.

Alternatives to this procedure include shockwave lithotripsy, a different way of treating kidney stones that uses shockwaves to break up stones into tiny fragments.

Where will a ureteroscopy take place?

A surgeon specialising in urology performs the procedure in a hospital operating theatre.

What happens before the procedure? 

You’ll have a pre-assessment, either on the day you’re admitted or beforehand. Make sure you tell the team about any medications you take – they will tell you if you need to pause any before the procedure.

Because kidney endoscopy is usually done under general anaesthetic, you’ll normally be asked to stop eating and drinking several hours before.

You may need an X-ray before surgery to check whether the stone has moved.

If you’re on dialysis, the procedure will be scheduled around your appointments.

What happens during the ureteroscopy?

• Before the procedure, you may be given antibiotics to prevent potential infection, and a medication that will help you feel relaxed and sleepy.
• You’ll be taken to the operating theatre, where you’ll be given either a full or spinal anaesthetic.
• The surgeon will pass a very fine telescope into your bladder and up the ureter to identify the kidney stone. It will then be broken into small pieces and removed. While the aim is to remove all the stone fragments, sometimes this can’t be done in one procedure.
• The ureter may become swollen so the surgeon may insert a small tube called a stent between the kidney and bladder, to allow urine to pass from the kidney.
• You might also have a temporary bladder catheter.
• The procedure is usually straightforward and takes 30-90 minutes.

What happens immediately after the procedure?

You’ll wake up in the recovery area, before being taken back to the ward.

You may have a drip in a vein in your arm. If you have a catheter, urine will drain into a bag next to your bed. The catheter will be removed the day after the procedure.

You may be able to leave hospital the same day, but some people need to stay overnight. You may have another X-ray to confirm all the stone fragments have been removed.

What should I expect when I get home?

For the first couple of days, it’s common to experience mild burning when you pass urine, and you may need to empty your bladder more often. You might also notice small amounts of blood in your urine.

Although you’ll be given antibiotics at the time of the procedure, there’s still a risk of urine infection, and the team will explain the signs to be aware of, such as worsening pain or bleeding, and fever.

How will I get the results?

If stones were removed, these will be analysed and the results reviewed by your urologist and sent to your GP. If you’re under the care of a kidney doctor, they will also receive the results.

You may need a follow-up procedure if the surgeon wasn’t able to remove all the fragments of stone, and your doctor might recommend further investigations if you keep getting kidney stones.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Avoid driving for the first 24 hours after a general anaesthetic, and make sure you have someone with you for the first night at home.

If a stent was placed, it will need to be removed at a later date, usually within a few weeks – the hospital team will arrange an appointment to do this. This is usually done under local anaesthetic rather than needing another general anaesthetic.

Publication date: 02/2026

Review date: 02/2029