What’s a ureteroscope?

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A ureteroscope is an instrument that is used to pass and see inside the urinary tract. This type of endoscope is used in ureteroscopy which is used to locate and remove kidney stones from the body. This procedure does not require an incision, making it less invasive and reducing the patient’s risk of infection.
During a ureteroscopy, the ureteroscope is inserted into the urethra, the tube that connects the outside of the body to the bladder. From there, the doctor will navigate the endoscope into the bladder and then the ureter and finally the kidneys. Most kidney stones are found in the kidney, but larger stones can be found in the ureter, bladder, or urethra.

Once a stone is found, a small basket will be attached to the end of the ureteroscope. The treating physician will use the basket to grab and remove the kidney stones. Sometimes, doctors intentionally push kidney stones back into the kidney, because the kidney can naturally break them down.

Ureteroscopes come in two main types based on their stiffness. Rigid ureteroscopes look like a rigid telescope and are used to provide a straight-line view into the urethra. A ureteroscope like this one is used when stones are found in the lower and middle section of the ureter near the bladder.

Flexible ureteroscopes, on the other hand, are malleable instruments, designed to be able to rotate 180° to navigate through the urethra, bladder, ureter and kidney. These scopes are used to locate and remove stones located in the kidney, as well as near the kidney at the top of the ureter. As you might imagine, a ureteroscopy performed with a flexible ureteroscope is kinder on the body than one performed with a rigid instrument.

Unsuccessful ureteroscopy can be followed by laparoscopic surgery. Although laparoscopic procedures have a high success rate, they require several incisions and typically also require a longer hospital stay. Also, the incisions increase the risk of infection.

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