Ureteroscopy for Ureteral Stones in Sharjah

What is ureteroscopy?

Ureteroscopy is a stone operation carried out entirely through the body's own urinary passages. The ureter is the narrow tube that carries urine from each kidney down to the bladder, and a stone that drops out of the kidney often lodges in it, blocking the flow and causing the wave-like pain of renal colic. A ureteroscope is a long, slim telescope with a camera and a working channel, fine enough to travel up that tube to the stone.

Ureteroscopy lets the urologist see the stone directly. The stone is broken with a fine probe passed through the scope, and the fragments are caught in a tiny wire basket and drawn out, so the ureter is cleared in the same session.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, the consultant urologist performs ureteroscopy in-house. The wider choice between waiting, shock waves and a procedure is set out on the kidney stone treatment page; this page follows ureteroscopy itself.

Who needs it

Ureteroscopy suits a stone in the ureter that is too large to pass, that has stayed in one place despite time and medicine, that causes repeated bouts of pain, or that is blocking a kidney. It also suits people who need a stone cleared quickly, for example pilots, professional drivers or anyone travelling for work.

Stone type matters. The four types the hospital names are calcium (the most common), uric acid, struvite and cystine. Cystine stones and some calcium stones are very hard, and ureteroscopy breaks them under direct vision. Uric acid stones are invisible on a plain X-ray and show clearly on a CT scan, so the planning scan is chosen with the stone in mind. Struvite stones form with infection, so the urine is treated first.

The main alternative is lithotripsy, which breaks the stone with shock waves from outside the body. Lithotripsy avoids instruments in the ureter; ureteroscopy clears more stones in one sitting, including stones low in the ureter near the bladder and stones that are hard or hidden by bone on imaging. The urologist explains which route fits your stone, your scan and your job.

What happens

Ureteroscopy is done under general anaesthesia, so you are asleep. You lie on your back with your legs supported, and a short X-ray or camera check confirms where the stone sits.

The urologist passes the ureteroscope through the urethra into the bladder, finds the opening of the ureter and guides the scope up to the stone, often along a thin guide wire. The stone is broken into small pieces. Larger fragments are collected in the basket and removed; fine dust washes out in the urine over the following days. A fragment goes to the laboratory for analysis.

A ureteric stent is often placed at the end. A stent is a soft, hollow tube running inside the ureter from the kidney to the bladder, holding the swollen ureter open while it settles. Some stents have a thread that comes out of the urethra so they can be pulled out at home or in clinic; others are taken out with a brief telescope check. Many people go home the same day.

If the ureter is too tight to pass the scope, the urologist places a stent and returns to the stone once the ureter has widened, which makes the second step easier.

Preparing for it

A urine test checks for infection, and any infection is treated first. You have blood tests, an anaesthetic review and, where needed, an updated scan, because stones move. Bring previous scans and a full list of medicines; blood thinners need a clear plan, and you receive fasting instructions.

If you are travelling soon after, tell the team, as a stent and its removal date need to fit your plans. Raise Ramadan timing early so fasting and fluids can be planned together.

Afterwards

A stent is noticeable. Many people feel an urge to pass urine often, a pulling ache in the side when passing urine, and see pink urine, especially after activity. These ease once the stent comes out. Drink plenty of water, more so in the Sharjah heat, and keep the stent removal appointment, because a stent left in too long can become encrusted.

Desk work usually resumes sooner than driving jobs or heavy manual work, and the urologist gives you a personal plan. The stone analysis guides your kidney stone prevention advice.

Contact the hospital urgently if you have a fever or shivers, pain that painkillers fail to control, or heavy bleeding with clots. **Go to the emergency department straight away if you are unable to pass urine, or have a high fever with pain in the side, which can signal an infected, blocked kidney.**

Cost and insurance

Most UAE insurance plans cover ureteroscopy for a confirmed ureteral stone, and it usually needs pre-approval, supported by the CT or ultrasound report. The stent removal visit and a later scan may be assessed separately. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover and start the approval early on 06 599 7777.