Surgical Ureteral Stone Removal in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is surgical ureteral stone removal?
Surgical ureteral stone removal is the operation used when a stone in the ureter is best taken out from the outside. Ureterolithotomy means cutting into the ureter (uretero) to remove a stone (litho). The surgeon reaches the ureter through the abdomen or the side, makes a small opening in its wall right over the stone, removes the stone in one piece and repairs the opening with fine stitches.
Most ureteral stones today are treated from the inside, with shock waves or a telescope. Ureterolithotomy is the planned route for the smaller group of stones where those methods are a poor match, and it clears the stone in a single operation.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the consultant urologist offers two ways of doing it. The laparoscopic, or keyhole, approach uses a few small incisions, a camera and fine instruments, and is described more widely on the laparoscopic urology page. The open approach uses one incision in the side or lower abdomen.
Who needs it
Ureterolithotomy is considered when:
- the stone is large and has been lodged in the ureter long enough to become embedded in swollen lining
- earlier lithotripsy or ureteroscopy has left the stone in place
- the ureter below the stone is narrowed, so a telescope has no safe path up
- the stone is very hard and would need several sessions to break from the inside
- another operation in the same area is planned, and both can be done together
Stone type still matters after the stone is out. Removing the stone whole gives the laboratory a clean specimen. The four types the hospital names are calcium, uric acid, struvite and cystine; large, long-standing stones are more often struvite, linked to infection, or cystine, linked to an inherited condition.
The wider options, from waiting to endoscopy, are set out on the kidney stone treatment page. The urologist compares them for your stone using its size, position, hardness, how long it has been there, the health of the kidney above it and your previous treatment, and explains why surgery is advised.
What happens
Ureterolithotomy is done under general anaesthesia. An X-ray on the day often confirms the stone's final position, because stones can move after the last scan.
In the laparoscopic approach, the surgeon makes several small cuts, gently inflates the working space with gas and uses a camera to find the ureter and the bulge of the stone. The ureter wall is opened over the stone, the stone is lifted out and placed in a retrieval bag, and the ureter is closed with fine dissolving stitches. In the open approach, the same steps are done through one incision in the side or lower abdomen.
A ureteric stent, a soft tube inside the ureter from the kidney to the bladder, is usually left in to protect the stitched ureter while it heals. A thin drain beside the ureter and a urinary catheter are common for the first days. Surgical ureteral stone removal involves a hospital stay of a few nights, and the team explains the plan for your case.
Preparing for it
A urine test checks for infection, and any infection is treated first. You have blood tests, an anaesthetic review and a recent CT scan. If a temporary tube was placed earlier to drain the kidney, the team includes it in the plan. Bring a full list of medicines; blood thinners and diabetes medicines each need a plan, and you receive fasting instructions.
Stopping smoking helps healing. Arrange help at home for the first days and a lift home. Raise Ramadan timing early so fasting, fluids and medicines can be agreed.
Afterwards
The drain usually comes out first, then the catheter. Walking soon after surgery helps recovery. Keep the wounds clean and dry; in the Sharjah heat, avoid sweating into the dressings and drink plenty of water. The stent comes out later with a brief telescope check, and a follow-up scan confirms the kidney drains well.
Recovery after open surgery is longer than after keyhole surgery. Desk work, driving and manual work each follow a different timeline, and the urologist gives you yours. The stone result guides kidney stone prevention.
Contact the hospital urgently if a wound reddens, swells or leaks fluid, or if you develop a fever or shivers. **Go to the emergency department straight away if you have severe pain in the side or abdomen, a swollen tender abdomen, or you are unable to pass urine.**
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover ureterolithotomy when it is medically needed, and it almost always requires pre-approval, supported by imaging and a record of earlier stone treatment. The inpatient stay and stent removal are usually part of the same approval, but confirm this. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check your cover and start the approval early on 06 599 7777.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of ureterolithotomy?
Ureterolithotomy carries the risks of abdominal surgery, including bleeding, infection, a reaction to the anaesthetic and injury to nearby organs. Specific to the ureter are a urine leak from the stitched opening, which usually settles with the stent and drain, and a later narrowing of the ureter. Keyhole surgery occasionally needs conversion to an open operation. Your urologist explains these risks for your case.
Why is surgery advised instead of a telescope or shock waves?
Surgery is advised when a stone is too large, too hard or too firmly embedded to treat safely from the inside, or when the ureter below it is narrowed. Your urologist explains the reasons that apply to your stone.
Is laparoscopic ureterolithotomy the same as keyhole surgery?
Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy is keyhole surgery, performed through several small incisions with a camera. It usually means less pain and a quicker return to normal activity than open surgery.
Will I have a stent after ureterolithotomy?
Most people have a ureteric stent after ureterolithotomy to protect the stitched ureter while it heals. It is removed later with a short telescope check in the bladder.
Can the stone come back after surgery?
A new stone can form after ureterolithotomy, because surgery removes the stone but leaves the cause. Stone analysis and prevention advice for your stone type lower the chance of another one.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
Surgical ureteral stone removal usually needs a short inpatient stay while the drain and catheter are in place. The length depends on the approach and your recovery.
How is my kidney checked after surgery?
Your kidney is checked after ureterolithotomy with a follow-up scan once the stent is out, which confirms urine drains freely down the repaired ureter.
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